Between Night and Day
by touyatouya
Summary: SV Small tales meant to flesh out, fit between, and twine around the events of the game. Scene Three Finale: Double sized chapter! A Princess struck, a Princess lost. A single night will change the bonds between four youngsters, forevermore.
1. Boy Meets Girl

**BETWEEN NIGHT AND DAY:**

_**SCENE ONE: Boy Meets Girl**__  
_

_Disclaimer: Konami owns Suikoden. I own this fic._

When the boy first met the girl, the first thing he noticed were her eyes.

The next was the top of her foot as it crashed into his face.

It was the first time anyone had decked the Prince of Falena… the first time indeed, that anyone had actually hit him. Even his father, in the infrequent event that the Prince did something mischievous enough that even Ferid would not let slide, never resorted to physical violence – perhaps because a mild slap from the Commander of the Queen's Knights was enough to send grown men to their knees, much less a nine year old boy.

Yet here was this girl, this tiny girl who he had never seen in his life, who met his gaze unashamedly with her wide, liquid eyes – here was this girl who knocked him off his feet without a word, without batting an eyelash, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

At first the Prince was too shocked to do anything more than rub his jaw gingerly. Much to his distaste, he thought he felt a tooth or two wobble, although the pain of their dislodging was at the moment masked by the general feeling of utter anguish that permeated the entire lower half of his face. One notable side effect of this was it made talking impossible, and as the silent, black-haired demon was volunteering no information, the Prince was left with no means to castigate her for her gross mistreatment of his royal person. All he had done was stare at her after all… and what was she doing in his room anyway? Still, growing up in the Palace, the young Prince knew there were other ways to communicate one's emotions.

Getting somewhat groggily to his feet, the Prince stared mutely at the girl for a moment, then sketched his most dignified bow. The girl looked confused for a second, then hesitantly returned it.

The Prince waited for her eyes to focus on the floor before leaping on her with a shouted battlecry.

Ferid found him a few minutes later, screaming bloody murder as the girl sat on his stomach, holding down his slightly greater weight with what seemed to the Prince to be supernatural strength, strength that was quite evident as she pummeled the hapless young royal within an inch of his life. The moment Ferid appeared though, the girl shot to her feet.

"What's going on here?"

A curious head topped with a shock of purple hair popped out from behind Ferid's imposing frame. "OoOoOh… I think someone's been skipping one-too-many training sessions…"

The Prince at that very moment had a great deal he wanted to say to Queen's Knight Apprentice Miakis – but at the moment, all he could manage was a sound between a strangled gurgle and a gurgling moan.

Ferid however, seemed to find the entire affair much less amusing. He quickly rushed to his son's side and rand gentle hands over the boy – not that they felt gentle to the Prince at that point in time.

"You're alright," Ferid said at last, more than a little relief in his voice, "You're alright."

"Yeah… great… " the Prince replied, allowing just a trace of un-princely sarcasm into his voice, but his father had already turned to the strange new girl, and his vouce rang out with uncharacteristic severity.

"This has to stop," Ferid said, "You're not in - " he began to say, but visibly stopped himself. "You have nothing to fear from us here, and wish to have no cause to fear you. You are amongst friends here. Family."

The girl seemed suddenly uncertain. "Family…" she whispered, and her voice was as liquid as her blue-black eyes.

"That's right," Ferid said, before helping the Prince to his feet. "This is my son, the Prince - "

Ever so slowly, the girl's face began to grow pale, and her eyes even wider as her expression took on a faint look of horror. Ha! Now she knew that she knew the gravity of her crime, she would surely…

" – you'll be seeing a lot of him, serving as his body guard, so do try to get along ok?"

… beg his forgiveness and…

Wait…

What?

_"What?"_ he cried out, hardly noticing that Miakis joined in.

"But father, I don't need another body guard!" the Prince protested.

"I thought that's what I was here for!" Miakis chimed in.

The Prince blinked, then stared at Miakis incredulously. "Uhm… On second thought, I'm fine with the new girl then, Father."

Miakis' mouth opened in an "O" of offended shock, then she took a menacing step towards the white haired boy. "Oh you are _SO _in over your head…"

Ferid pulled her back by the scruff of her neck. "Settle down you two…" the Commander laughed, before turning a fond gaze towards Miakis. "You're going to be Lymsleia's body guard."

"You've gotta be kidding!" the purple haired apprentice protested. "She's two years old! The Queen doesn't even let her out of the cradle! What about my public appearances? What about my adoring fans?"

"You'll live, and so will they," Ferid chuckled, then addressed his son, "It's about time you had a personal bodyguard my boy, not just a rotating retinue of palace guards. Besides, she's practically your age, and it wouldn't hurt to have someone who could be your companion as well as your shield."

"Shield? Father she's smaller that I am!"

"And yet did she or did she not appear to be kicking your royal behind?" Miakis noted innocently, prompting a glare from his royal highness, which the older girl promptly ignored.

"Trust me, she's more than up to the task. She's going to be our newest Queen's Knight Apprentice in fact."

That took the Prince aback. "Really?" he asked, once more in tandem with Miakis.

Ferid laughed and took the new girl's hands in his own. "Would I have anyone but the best to guard my boy? Lyon is… special. Give it time, and I'm sure you'll agree," he said as he pulled her closer to the Prince.

"Lyon? Is that your name?" the Prince asked. The girl seemed suddenly shy in Ferid's presence, and her eyes flickered nervously from Ferid's face to the Prince's, then to the floor and back again.

She really did have pretty eyes.

"I'm… sorry…" Lyon said softly, hesitantly – not sounding as if she didn't mean it, but rather as if the word itself was unfamiliar.

Part of him wanted to see her prostrate herself before him, but the Prince wasn't really vindictive by nature. Besides, with his father and Miakis there, how could he be anything but magnanimous?

"It is already forgotten," he said, ignoring the chortling sounds coming from behind Miakis' cupped hands. "I pray I have not… hurt you by any chance?"

At that Miakis broke out into a full fledged guffaw. The magnanimous Prince resisted an urge to stuff one of her daggers down her throat.

Again Lyon's eyes widened, as if what he said surprised her. "No… I – I'm fine." She paused. "Thank you. For asking… your Highness."

For some reason, the way she said it made him smile. "Think nothing of it. And please – call me Rivan." He held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Lady Lyon."

The black-haired girl stared at his hand, as if at any moment it might turn into a snake. Slowly, her own reached out, until her small, yet strong, fingers clasped his own.

"Pleased to meet you, Prince Rivan," she said then, and as her eyes met his, she smiled.

It was even prettier than her eyes.

* * *

_OOC: A little bit of practice before I plunge back into Vanishing Point – and what better way to begin writing anew than with a Suikoden fic? This is the series that is my first love, and Suikoden V is in all honesty, my favorite game of all time._

_This will be a series of short "snippets", stories that flesh out or fit in between events or information given in the game. The game itself does a great job of showing the development of the characters, but the characters themselves are so rich that there's plenty of room to expand on what's given._

_Things to look forward to? Well, hard to say at this point. I do intend to venture a bit into possible romantic feelings between the Prince and Lyon, Miakis and Luserina. There's also quite a bit of fleshing out I want to do after the... well, the first time you have to pick three parties in the game. I'm being quite spoiler-free in this first chapter but be warned – the farther along we go, the more spoilers there will be._

_Well that's it for now. Feedback is always welcome. Next up is the first trip to Lordlake of Lyon and the Prince… back when it still deserved its name._


	2. Lessons of Innocence

**SCENE 2: _Lessons of Innocence_**

Falena was a land of beauty. The Feitas river and its tributaries fed into a lush earth, which reciprocated with a bounty that was truly wondrous to behold. Such was the splendor of its natural environs that its citizens could do no less than to attempt to match it in their own works, and for the most part (with the exception of the odd eccentric northern village) men would have to say they succeeded. Yet even faced with the grandeur of Sol-Falena, there was something to be said for aesthetics fashioned not by human hand, but by the wind, the earth, and the river that ran like a thread between and beneath them. And of all the beautiful landscapes that could be found in a Queendom so pleasing to the eye, none was quite as beautiful as the vista of Lordlake.

Queen's Knight Apprentice Miakis however, was less than impressed.

"It's so… flat," she sighed, sweeping out her hands in a pair of outward semi-circles, as if smoothing the sheets on a bed. The Royal Family and their entourage stood at the gates of the bustling town, taking in the sight of it as their retainers busied themselves bringing in all the supplies and belongings that the Falenas' family would need for their brief vacation at Lordlake.

Rivan's eyes grew wide. "Why… my goodness, I do believe you're right!" he said, in mock amazement. "How _dare _they!" He cupped his mouth in his hands. "Quick men! Raise the earth for the pleasure of Lady Miakis! Post-haste!"

Miakis' eyes narrowed. "Well, well… you know what I think would raise the earth?" A flash of steel in the sunlight and a pair of daggers were in her hands. The purple haired girl grinned evilly. "A royal burial mound…"

She took a threatening step towards Rivan, but then stopped as a body swiftly moved between them. Miakis blinked as Lyon glared at her, the dark-haired girl's hands firmly on her weapon. Miakis faked left, and Lyon followed her, then faked right with the same effect.

"Uhm… Lyon dear?" Miakis asked with a smile, "What in the WORLD are you doing?"

The dark-haired girl merely stared back, unsmiling. "You shall not touch the Prince."

"Ew. Who'd wanna _touch _him?" Miakis' said, making a face – before the evil grin came back to fore. "I'm only gonna KILL him a little…"

Without a word, Lyon unfolded her blade.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Rivan said, suddenly alarmed. He placed his hands on his bodyguard's shoulders. "It's okay Lyon, it's okay – Miakis was just kidding."

"Kidding?" Lyon asked.

"I was?" Miakis asked innocently, meriting a glare from the Prince.

"Don't complicate things idiot," he chided her, before turning back to Lyon, her eyes fixed on his face. "Yeah – you know, she was joking. Saying something she didn't mean…"

"Like lying?"

"Erm… something like that. Not quite. She was trying to be funny. Not succeeding but…" the prince said, as Miakis stuck out her tongue at him.

"Funny?" Lyon asked again, the same look of incomprehension on her face. "What do you mean?"

"Ah, uhm, well…" the Prince stammered, sharing a worried look with Miakis. His father had told him Lyon was special – and apparently he meant more than her supernatural skill with a blade. Rivan did not know just where his Father had found Lyon – all questions had been deflected with shrugs or bribes – but the Prince couldn't help but wonder about what kind of place it could be, where the children did not know what play or humor was. Rivan's heart went out to her, and he and Miakis had achieved some level of success in introducing her to certain aspects of normal life – but how do you teach a heart laughter?

He was saved from this dilemma by the arrival of his father, accompanied by a dignified looking older man, dressed in the loose robes that everyone seemed to wear in this sunny, yet cool portion of Falena.

"Hey – what's the hold up?" Ferid called out as he got closer. "You were the ones who wanted to turn this into a picnic, and yet my underpants get to the mansion before you do."

"Commander!" Lyon greeted him, and a smile bloomed on her young face.

The Prince however, wore a different expression. "Ugh. Must you, Father?" Rivan said, passing a weary hand over his face. Miakis merely grinned, enjoying his discomfort.

Ferid merely laughed. "What? A Commander of the Queen's Knights can't have underpants? Aha ha ha ha ha!"

Rivan wondered if he could find a convenient whole to slink away and die. Before he could do so however, the older man came forward and stretched out his hand to the Prince.

"I see you've inherited your Mother's dignity instead of your Father's… unique sensibilities, your Highness," the man said. "It must make dealing with Ferid quite a chore…"

"What are you saying Rovere?" Ferid admonished the other man, "Arshtat finds me quite pleasant company if you must know."

"That's because she outranks you, your Majesty," Rovere answered with a disarming smile, "Hence she can shut you up when you're being overbearing."

"Ha! You may be right at that," he said, then turned once more to the children. "Rivan, Lyon, Miakis – this is Lord Rovere, leader of Lordlake and ally of our family, in all things but social niceties."

"It is a pleasure to meet you milord," Rivan said, inclining his head, but refraining from fully bowing, as he had been taught. The girls as well gave their polite greetings, though Miakis stared rather intently at Rovere as she did so. Understandable – he was a renowned politician, and while they had seen him from a distance many times in Sol-Falena, this was their first time to be introduced.

"Come then, you must be tired from you journey," Rovere said. "Let me escort you towards the humble comforts of my home."

When they reached the mansion however, "humble" was not a word Rivan would be inclined to associate with it. Oh it was not ostentatious, but it was clear from first glance that cost had not been an issue. It was a low, rambling compound, for Lordlake was not short on space. The north and south wings of the mansion had red tiled roofs while the center showed a yellow hue, but all had been produced with equal craftsmanship.

Yet the beauty of the mansion paled in comparison to that of the two women conversing seriously within. The woman on the left was seated casually, nut-brown hair crafted into a high, fashionable hair-style, and was gesturing animatedly as she drove home some fine point. In contrast the other woman exuded an aura of dignity and authority even as she sipped languidly from a steaming cup of tea. Her long silver-white hair was currently unadorned, but even without a crown, no one could mistake her for anything but a queen… _the _Queen. Who also happened to be a doting mother.

"Ah Rivan! _Finally_," exclaimed Arshtat, as she rose gracefully to her feet, and hurried to enfold her self-conscious son in her arms. "I thought we might somehow have lost you on the way."

"Don't worry Arshtat," Sialeeds smiled teasingly as she turned and winked at her nephew, "I don't think you're in any danger of losing little Rivan until he hits puberty. But in three or four years… I'd keep him on a short leash."

"Auntie, you're not helping…" Rivan grumbled, as he gamely tried to extract himself from his mother's embrace. His mother had always been affectionate – but ever since the Armes invasion was repelled, she seemed to be dead set on making up for lost quality time while she and Ferid had been on the frontlines. While the Prince appreciated the sentiment, it was a tad embarrassing for a growing boy.

"Don't be silly Sialeeds," Arshtat said as she held out her son at arms length, and gazed at his young face, "With a face like Rivan's, you can never be too careful. You've seen how Haswar treats him…"

"True…," the Queen's sister replied, "But our cousin is… special, after all."

Arshtat smiled at that, then at Ferid as he took his place beside her. Then she turned to Lyon and Miakis in turn. "Lyon, thank you for guarding the Prince so diligently. It seems my husband chose right when he gave you the task."

"Thank you your Majesty!" Lyon beamed, while Miakis looked slightly less than pleased, "I will try my best!"

"And you as well Miakis… Although, shouldn't you be with the Princess?"

Miakis blinked. "Ah yeah well, that… I was just thinking since she was asleep and all and surrounded by guards and nursemaids and…" She caught a glimpse of Ferid's face and immediately snapped a crisp salute. "I'm on my way _right now _your Majesty!"

Rivan chuckled, then bit back a shout as Miakis stomped on his foot on the way out.

Lyon glanced at him, then at Miakis. "Was that a joke too?"

The Prince just sighed.

* * *

They stood at the edge of Lord Rovere's private dock, the Prince casting stones out onto the pristine waters of the lake. The waters were clear as crystal, only the gentle curves of its motion obstructing the view of the well-fed fish which swam contentedly beneath the surface, while above, families of ducks and geese paddled across the lake, the parents calling out regularly in their distinctive cries, to make sure that their children still followed. The only man-made object that could be seen from the dock was a statue of frolicking mermaids rising above the foaming surf, but such was the beauty

"Four… Five… Si-guess not…" the Prince said as the stone he had been skipping plopped into the water.

"What're you doing your Highness?" Lyon asked curiously, peering over the water.

"Never skipped stones before?" he asked, "Here, you see, you flip the stones a certain way so that instead of sinking, they skip over the water." He demonstrated and was gratified to see his stone skip seven times before failing to emerge.

Lyon looked intrigued. "May I try?"

Rivan indicated his consent, and the girl took a smooth stone from atop the wooden planks and sent it sailing out into the water – where it promptly sunk, without a trace.

"Don't get too discouraged," the Prince tried o comfort her, "It takes time- " then he stopped as he saw her next stone skip four times. The next skipped seventeen. The fourth - _twenty_.

At first Rivan felt a flash of annoyance. Was there anything this girl didn't do well? But then he saw her face light up, and the trivial irritation melted away. It suited her better, this expression of delight – much better than the blank look she had worn when they had first met. Eyes like hers were not meant to be pools of darkness – not when they could give off so much light.

Rivan threw another stone onto the lake then, not in hopes of matching Lyon's feats, but merely to keep the game going. Eventually Lyon threw a stone which skipped all the way over to the opposite bank, and as the stone landed in the bushes, something gray and white streaked away, deeper into the lush green woods.

"Did you see that?" Rivan asked excitedly.

Lyon nodded, instantly on her feet, a hand on her weapon. "Stay back Prince… It could be a threat."

"It could be an Ulse!"

"An Ulse?"

"Yeah! They're like wolf-men – but they're harmless. I've always wanted to see one!" He got to his feet and began pulling at Lyon.

"But – Prince… Where are we going?"

Rivan sighed in exasperation. "Isn't it obvious? Across the lake to the Ulse lair!"

Lyon glanced towards the mansion. "Maybe we should inform the Commander…" she suggested, but the Prince quickly shot down the idea.

"No no, they're talking about Armes again, and that always makes them paranoid," he said. "We'll be back before they know it… You haven't seen one either have you?"

Still Lyon hesitated, but he could see that she was curious as well. "I don't know…"

Rivan crossed his arms and took a deep breath. "Well, _I'm _going – and if I do, then you have to come with me right? As my bodyguard?"

"Well, yes… That's my job…"

With that the Prince patter her on the back. "Then welcome aboard!" He moved quickly down the dock, looking for a suitable vessel to ferry them across.

"C'mon – let's borrow this one!" he said, clamoring into a rickety old boat whose prime quality seemed to be that it actually still floated despite all the wear and tear. Lyon, expression uncertain, jumped into the boat right after the Prince.

"Do you know how to move this thing Prince?" Lyon asked dubiously.

He shrugged. "How hard could it be?" Rivan replied, handing an oar to Lyon. Sitting together in the center of the boat, their eyes met, and both children nodded in unison. As one they dipped their oars into the lake water, and pulled. The tiny skiff leapt forward a few inches –

- then the wharf behind them collapsed like a stack of cards.

* * *

Later on, it turned out that termites had gotten into that particular portion of the dock and had eaten away at its foundation. For Rivan's part, he and Lyon had neglected to check whether the vessel had in fact still been moored before they took it out – which it had been – and the sudden jerking movement had been enough to bring down an entire portion of the dock. The incident had brought the attendants of the Royal Family running, which brought a premature end to the afternoon's escapade. Their little adventure had been ended before it even begun, and that had been supremely mortifying for the Prince.

_Almost _as much as Miakis' barely controlled laughter as they stood before Ferid and Lord Rovere.

"Will you _shut _up?" Rivan hissed at her, but the purple haired girl laughed all the more, tears streaming down her eyes.

"Well, you have to admit, there's a certain amount of – humor, that can be found in the tale," Lord Rovere said, smiling pleasantly. The Queen and Sialeeds were bathing at the moment and hence Rivan was spared that particular confrontation – a good thing since while his Aunt would probably have shared Miakis' mirth (if a bit less derisively), his mother would not take kindly to either the wrecked wharf or the planned clandestine escape. His Majesty Ferid however, was known to be a tad more lax with the rules… though he wasn't looking particularly lax at the moment.

"Few men would find damage to their property funny milord," Ferid intoned somberly, "I'm afraid a certain amount of punishment is in order, at least until I'm sure they've learned their lesson."

Rivan gulped, and Miakis ceased her giggling and stared in apprehension at the Commander.

But it was Lyon who was most affected. Since they had been brought before the Commander she had been silent and subdued. Now she was visibly shaking, then suddenly she dropped to her knees. "I'm sorry Commander! I'm sorry! Please, please don't punish me, I'll do better – I'll- "

"Lyon!" Rivan exclaimed, and dropped down beside her. "Lyon what are you doing? You're not to blame." He turned to face Ferid. "Father please, it was all my idea! Lyon had nothing to do with this… It was all me!"

His bodyguard looked up at him, with tear-filled eyes. "Prince…"

"I'll do anything," Rivan continued, "I'll help repair the dock, I'll work for Lord Rovere – anything! Just leave Lyon out of it… I've learned my lesson!"

Ferid, who had looked alarmed indeed when Lyon had dropped to her knees, suddenly had a neutral expression on his face. "And what is that lesson my son?"

Rivan looked at his Father. "Selfish acts result in destruction."

"A good lesson to learn," Ferid said, "But not the one I had in mind… Which is this - " Drawing them both to their feet he placed one hand on the Prince's left shoulder, and the other on Lyon's right, he leaned forward and smiled.

"When you want to be naughty – _never, ever get caught._"

With that Ferid threw back his head and laughed, and Rovere joined him. "Oh I concur fully," the older man said, "And as an addendum, I'd say make sure the boat is untied before you paddle."

The Commander engulfed the heads of both Lyon and Rivan in a double-armed embrace. "Ahahahaha! You two are too serious! The wharf was going to be torn down and rebuilt soon anyway, and I would have disappointed had you _not_ made a try for the woods. What say we head there later for some exploring eh? You'll see that things go better when you don't leave your dear old Dad out of the mischief!"

Rivan and Lyon grinned at Ferid, then at each other. Lyon's eyes still sparkled with unshed tears, but her expression was that of pure joy. And then she laughed – giggled really, and a tear rolled down her flushed cheek.

"That's what funny means Lyon," Miakis said, joining in the laughter.

"It feels… good," Lyon said, still laughing.

"It does, don't it?" Miakis grinned. Then she glanced sideways at the prince. "Now do you see why I joke around with the Prince so much? You should try it too!"

"Hey!" Rivan protested, but then stopped as Miakis and Lyon continued to giggle like little girls. He smiled as he saw Lyon's face positively glow.

_It really does suit her best…_

Ah well… He'd let Miakis off the hook for now – after all, he was feeling benevolent. Rivan heaved a sigh of relief. Looks like they weren't going to get into trouble after all. Then a regal voice was heard from just beyond the door.

"What? The ENTIRE dock?"

The Prince groaned. Guess that had been too much to ask for… So much for mercy as deep as the Feitas…

* * *

_Author's Note: Well, I took a lot of priviliges with the Lordlake visit, but there really wasn't much to work with - and all in all I think it came out alright I would have wanted to put in something about Rovere's family but - well, just didn't seem to fit the flow. Next scene deals with a bratty Princess and her change of heart. For those wondering why I haven't been writing Miakis as being utterly devoted to the Princess, the next scene should give my reasons. Until then, feedback feeds the hungry writer _


	3. Brothers and Sisters Love and Duty 1

**_SCENE 3: Brothers and Sisters. Love and Duty. (Part 1 of 3)  
_**

The personal ship of the Royal Family of Falena pulled into the dock near the entrance of the town of Rainwall, and as her crew skillfully lead her in, they breathed a collective sigh of relief. In part this was because they had managed to make it to their appointed destination before the coming storm broke – already, dark clouds could be seen on the horizon, hastening forward with their load of thunder, rain drops, and lightning. Yet as relieved as they were to escape that storm, perhaps there was an equal amount of relief in the fact that they would soon be rid of "another" storm… a purple haired, doe eyed bundle of metal, ribbon and death which regularly stalked the deck of the ship. In fact, the aforementioned storm was doing just that right this instant, and wise sailors muttered prayers of warding and kept their distance.

No one wanted to bump into Queen's Knight Apprentice Miakis when she was in a foul temper. And this morning, her mood was blacker than the walls of Stormfist.

"Stupid, STUPID little brat…" Miakis muttered, as she untied her hair, and wiped delicious gourmet gunk from the side of her face.

Why oh why did she have to put up with this, Miakis asked herself for the hundredth time. Why her? What had she done to deserve this assignment? Of course _technically_ there was no higher honor to be given a Queen's Knight – much less an apprentice – than to be tasked to guard the Princess of Falena, the girl who would one day grow up to be Queen. But Miakis wasn't really known for being _technical._

"If she throws one more piece of fruit at me I swear, Princess or no Princess… Wham! Bam! Brat overboard!"

"Well, I'm hardly an expert on the matter," came a familiar voice from behind her, "But I think that would be High Treason. Not a good idea."

She turned to see a smiling Rivan coming up from below deck, flipping a long white ponytail over his shoulder. _Prince_ Rivan, Miakis had to remind herself – it didn't do to appear overly familiar, even when they had known each other for so long… It took quite some effort though. There was something about Rivan that just made Miakis feel… oh, comfortable she supposed. At ease, as if he weren't the son of the most powerful man and woman in the entire Queendom. When she had first arrived at the Sun Palace, after the horrible nightmare of the Armes invasion, she had been afraid that she would never fit in. Oh she had looked forward to it at first – a chance to be in a place where a girl could really shine, Craig and his damned chauvinist "traditions" be damned! – but at the Capital, everyone seemed to have some puffed up, inborn knowledge of their own rank and every word, every action seemed pre-determined by one's status. Miakis had quickly grown to miss the rough and tumble tomboy life she'd enjoyed with Roog and Rahal… well, before they'd started training in the Dragon Calvalry in earnest.

Then the Prince had come along.

"Oh I wouldn't let her _drown,"_ Miakis picked up the thread of the conversation, sending a mischievous smile her Prince's way. "I was just thinking… well, the Feitas is such an _important_ part of our culture and all, our little Empress should experience it – first hand."

Rivan strode to the edge of the boat and peered over it, as if he was taking her suggestion seriously. It was one of the reasons she'd taken to him, she expected – she'd always been told she had a strange sense of humor, but the Prince had always just seemed to… well, to just _get_ it. Well, most times anyway. The irony, the practical jokes, the strange analogies – Rivan would listen, and laugh, and she'd know it was sincere. Didn't matter that he was five years younger – practically a generation where children were concerned – Rivan had been her first friend at the Sun Palace, her first supporter in her goal to become a Queen's Knight: sparring mate, prank partner and prank victim rolled in one.

"Not such a bad idea," Rivan mused, but then he pointed at a wayward chunk of unmelted ice floating atop the river, "Except that it's early spring, and my dear sister would freeze to death in all of two seconds."

"Hmmm… Got a point there," Miakis mock conceded, "Tell you what – I'll throw in a jacket right after."

Rivan threw his head back and laughed, and instantly Miakis felt her mood lift, ever so slightly. The Prince had a rich laugh, like his Father's, but with the gentle elegance of the Queen even when Rivan guffawed, it never seemed like he was being rude. Spurred by a sudden whimsy, she took hold of the boy's shoulders and turned him to face her.

"Hey! Don't try it out on _me_!"

"Oh hold still ya big Royal baby," she admonished, as she gave the squirming boy the once over, noticing to her surprise that it was taking more strength than necessary to hold him still. She was still taller than him, if only slightly – Miakis wasn't very large, even for a girl, but her training had made her plenty strong, as ninety percent of the male population of Sauronix would sheepishly attest to. Still, Rivan was a growing boy, almost at puberty himself, and he'd had daily physical fitness regimes since almost before he could walk. Rivan was still slim, with the graceful limbs of his mother, but underneath Miakis could already feel the building power of Ferid's genes, honed by daily training. Even as he screwed his face up in distaste at his capture, the purple haired girl couldn't help but notice that his features were growing more defined as well – he'd inherited his mother's beauty that was for sure, but there was something there of Ferid's now as well. Was it the eyes? The nose?

"Uhm… Miakis…?"

She couldn't quite tell. She should have been able to – she would have, once. But now she didn't see as much of him as she used to anymore. Her little Prince was growing up without her…

"Um… Hello? Anyone home?"

But Miakis couldn't even hear him anymore, so caught up was she in the injustice of the situation. It wasn't fair! Why did she have to be stuck guarding Lymsleia? She didn't want the 'honor'! Stupid Ferid should have given it to someone who deserved the consternation like… like that bitch Alenia! She was the one who was supposed to be Rivan's bodyguard! Her! Not –

"Miakis… That kinda hur - "

Rivan hadn't even finished talking when Miakis found her hands being pried away from the Prince's shoulders – gently, but firmly.

"Okay, that's enough of that," Lyon said as she pulled the Prince away, Miakis stared down at her empty hands, blinked once, then again, then focused finally on Rivan and his bodyguard.

"Uh… whoops," Miakis said as she shook her head, and gave a nervous laugh, "Sorry, guess I kind of zoned out."

"Yes, you did," the newest Queen's Knight Apprentice agreed, her tone of voice giving away nothing. But then her expression softened, and she gave Miakis a sympathetic smile, though she still kept a steady grip on the Prince. "Rough day with the Princess huh?"

"When isn't it?" Miakis grumbled, fighting back an irrational surge of jealousy. _I wasn't going to hurt him…, _she wanted to tell Lyon, _I was guarding his back before you even knew his name!_ But she repressed the urge – she was used to it by now, and was old enough to know it was juvenile to even entertain the thought. Lyon was, after all, doing her job – and doing it well, as always. The black haired girl had taken to the Queen's Knight training amazingly well, but even more impressive had been her evolution from the deadly-serious, blandly-literal child of four years ago into the cheerful and accommodating girl she was now. No matter how Miakis hated the changes wrought by Lyon's arrival, she could never ever hate the girl herself – not Lyon.

"Well, don't take it so hard," Lyon said, "I mean, I think she only does what she does because she wants your attention."

"She likes you," Rivan added helpfully, and Miakis' eyebrows rose mightily.

"Do _you_ throw meat pies at people you're fond of Prince?" the older girl asked archly, "'Coz if that's so, I think I feel insulted. Largest thing you ever threw at me was a live frog."

"Which you kept inside your tunic all day to prove a point – yes, I remember," Rivan laughed again, while Lyon looked green around the edges. "No, no, hear me out," he began again, "I heard Father and Mother talking about it the other day: you're the only one she actually looks for. Everybody else she just ignores for the most part, unless they get in her way."

"You think being ignored is worse than being creamed with various fruits and dead animals?" Miakis asked wryly, "I'd trade places with you in an instant."

"So would I," the Prince said quietly. Then his face took on a pained expression. "It would be nice to be a bit more liked by my little sister…"

"Oh, Prince," Lyon placed a hand on his shoulder, "She'll come around."

"Or I'll make her," Miakis added ominously. She couldn't understand – she told Lymsleia, again and again, just how lucky she was to have Rivan for an older brother, but the damn brat just wouldn't listen! "I swear, I don't know how it's possible for to people who share the same blood to be so... so… different."

"Well, hang in there Miakis," Lyon said encouragingly, "I'm sure Lym's heritage will show when she gets a bit older. Until then all we can do is make sure she's safe, so she has the time to grow up…" The girl paused, her face somber. "And time to be a child as well."

The older girl sniffed. "Easy for you to say," Miakis retorted, "Since you get to guard _my- _" she stopped herself quickly, "Since you get to guard the one member of the Royal brood that _doesn't_ act like a half trained monkey."

"Oh the Prince isn't as well-behaved as he seems," Lyon said severely, "You wouldn't believe the kind of trouble he'd get into if I wasn't around to curb his mischief."

Rivan groaned. "You're more of an old fogey than Galleon is Lyon," he complained. "And when have I ever been anything than a fine, upstanding young Prince of Falena?"

Lyon's eyes narrowed. "Two words: Lordlake. Dock."

Rivan shut his eyes and sighed. "Lyon that was four _years_ ago!"

"Time doesn't make wrong things any less wrong!"

Prince and bodyguard then launched into an extended – and apparently quite practiced – exchange of accusations and recriminations. Anyone else might have been fooled into thinking that the two youngsters didn't get along at all – but Miakis knew better. That was why she couldn't help but feel another pang of envy as she watched the two of them banter to and fro. They had their own little world now, these two, and more and more she was beginning to feel excluded.

_Why does Lyon get him, while I get stuck with - _

"MIIIAAKKIIISSS!" came a high pitched shout, as if on cue.

"Uh oh," Lyon winced as the ear-splitting cry seemed to echo in the early morning air. "Duty calls."

"More like irritation resurfaces," Miakis answered. She was mightily tempted to just ignore the spoiled little girl, but a dissatisfied Lymsleia was even more of a calamity than an angry Miakis. Besides, it was the first time Rivan and Lymsleia were going to meet the powerful Barrows family, and at least for Rivan's sake, she wanted them to make a good impression.

_See? I still watch out for you. You just don't see it anymore…_

"Try not to have _too_ much fun without me alright?" the purple haired girl sighed, before reluctantly heading to the cabin where her pampered, petty princess was ensconced.

* * *

Rivan sighed. 

"Is the food not to your liking your Highness?" inquired a pleasant female voice from beside him.

"Uhm, no, not at all," as Miakis looked on, the Prince turned to look at the pretty, brown-haired young girl who was staring at him with such earnest eyes. Luserina Barrows would grow up to be a stunning beauty someday, Miakis was certain of that. Though as she had pointed out earlier to Lyon, given the way her father looked… Luserina's mom must have the face of an angel. Neither the mother, nor Luserina's last remaining sibling were present however, and since the girl was obviously reluctant to discuss either, none of them had pushed the matter.

"It's just, well…" Rivan faltered.

"If you don't want it, I'll take it!" Miakis chimed in, from her position just behind the Prince. She and Lyon were still on-duty, and as such neither was supposed to partake of the lavish meal that the Barrows' family had set out. That didn't stop Miakis from making a grab for a particularly delectable dish every now and then however, with Rivan as willing accomplice.

Not this time however. "Not on your life - I love grilled salmon," Rivan replied curtly, putting his arms protectively around his plate.

"Stingy old man," the purple haired girl retorted, sticking her tongue out at the Prince, who then proceeded to chew his piece of salmon rather noisily in front of her, with much "ooh-ing" and "ahhh-ing"

Lyon however, was still focused on Luserina's question. "It's the Princess again, isn't it?"

Rivan looked at his friend and bodyguard and sighed again as he nodded. Miakis on the other hand whirled to glare at her charge.

"What did the little Empress do now?" she asked, as Lym avoided Miakis eyes by turning her head towards the on-going discussion between Salum Barrows, Ferid and the Queen. Probably about the dam Lord Barrows wanted to build upstream of Lordlake.

The Prince shook his head. "Ah, it's nothing. Just the I-Hope-You-Die-In-A-Gutter-Starving-And-Heartbroken Gaze again…"

"I'm sure she's just in a bad mood. Tired from the trip maybe?" Lyon said hopefully. "Or just jealous that Miakis is here…," she turned to her fellow apprentice. "Wait a minute – Why _are_ you here? Shouldn't you be guarding the Princess?"

Miakis snorted, "From what? An undercooked piece of mutton? She's perfectly safe here." Seeing Lyon's look of disapproval, Miakis raised her hands defensively. "I cleared it with the Commander – I'm a good little apprentice Lyon."

"Beg pardon, but – I don't understand…" Luserina said, "Do the Princess and the Prince not get along?"

"Oh no nothing like that," Lyon said quickly. Miakis supposed it wouldn't do to give the impression of any serious difficulties in the Royal Family. It just gave the nobles more incentive to play one Royal against another. "It's just well… you know how siblings get on each other's nerves sometimes right? It's perfectly normal."

Luserina's face went blank. "Oh yes. I do know what you mean."

Lyon's face suddenly went pale. "Oh – oh I'm so sorry Lady Luserina, that was thoughtless of me. I didn't mean- "

"No, no, it's perfectly alright," Luserina assured her, "I wasn't thinking of the past. My brother Euram and I… well, let's just say that relationships between a brother and sister can change with time."

"You think?" Rivan asked hopefully, "So you grew to love your brother with time?"

"Uhm," Luserina suddenly looked abashed, "Actually, it's more that we used to get along and now… well…"

Rivan sighed again.

"Nice going milady," Miakis whispered to Luserina, "You couldn't have, maybe, lied a little?"

"Sorry," the other girl replied sheepishly, "But you haven't met my brother…" Luserina looked over at the Prince. "Don't worry Prince Rivan. My brother is a… special case. I'm sure you and your sister will only grow closer with time."

Miakis stared out across the banquet hall to where Lord Salum Barrows was practically falling all over the diminutive Princess, and she could only hope that Luserina was right.

_After all, it's hard to guard someone's back when you want to stick a knife in it._

* * *

Rivan. It was always about Rivan. 

Oh they might pretend it wasn't – they certainly had enough people fawning over her to make her believe she was the center of attention… if she were some other little Princess. But no, that wouldn't work on Lymsleia, no way! She knew better now than to believe what everyone said. Welll, except perhaps her Mom and Dad – but they hadly counted. After all, _they_ had nothing to gain by flattering her. Even at the tender age of six, Lym had learned that very few people could be entirely honest with a child who would one day be Queen of Falena, whether they be children her own age, or ugly old men like this… what was his name again? Salon? Sarum? Whatever. He claimed that the banquet they were attending was in her honor, but Lym was sure she was lying. He was a liar just like the rest of them, just like everyone else.

Everyone but Miakis.

Lym had really, really hated her bodyguard at first. While Miakis was a servant of the Princess like most everyone else at the palace, for the life of her Miakis certainly didn't act it. She was constantly telling Lym what to do, telling Lym what she thought about this or that – even if, horror of horrors, her opinions were different than that of the Princess. Or even completely against Lym's! She remembered once she'd actually gone crying to her parents and asked them to get rid of that rude, horrid – what was the word - _hussy_.

_"Why is that?" her Father had asked her gently, while rocking her on his knee._

_"Because – because she never, ever, EVER takes my side!" Lym had whined._

_Her Father had merely laughed, and her Mother came and gently ran her fingers through Lym's brown hair. _

_"That makes her your best friend Lym," her mother had said, "For she will always give you that thing which rulers most need, but rarely have."_

_"What thing Mother?"_

_"Truth."_

Mother of course, had been quite right, as the Queen always was. Miakis was always full of life, and energy, and stories of all sorts. She was strong, and fast, and brave enough to tell Lym what she really thought.

Which made it all that harder to bear when almost every word that came out of Miakis mouth was about how splendid Lym's brother was.

Lym tried, oh how she tried, to win Miakis approval. But everything she did it seemed, Rivan had already done, and done better.

_"Look Miakis! I painted my first picture today!"_

_"Oh, let me guess – that's a… duck!"_

_"No! It's a picture of the Sun Palace!"_

_"Uhm… It makes for a better duck. You should see the picture your brother painted when he was your age – now THAT was the Sun Palace!"_

Rivan, it seemed, was smarter than her, stronger than her, braver than her, nicer than her… And the thing was, Rivan really was. Miakis didn't lie to her, and her brother had treated Lym with nothing but doting kindness. But…

But Miakis was her bodyguard! Her friend – her first friend! Lym grew to hate the way Miakis would always be so quick to run to her brother's side, how easily they could talk, and laugh, and whisper together. It wasn't fair – he had Lyon already! But if Miakis liked him too… liked him better than Lym… Then maybe others liked Rivan better as well. Maybe they _all_ did, even Mother and Father, but only Miakis dared show it.

Inside Lym the resentment festered, and more and more she began to cling to that one thing that made her special, more special than Rivan, no matter how good or smart or strong he was.

Rivan would never be Queen. _That_ meant Lym was better. _That_ meant everyone should like her better. If only she could make everyone else see that, see that Rivan wasn't so… so _perfect._

Then, suddenly, she smiled.

"Lord Barrows," she asked the ugly, fat old man in her sweetest voice, "I have a favor to ask you…"

* * *

_OOC: First off, I love Lym - but at this point of the story, she IS quite a brat :P I hope I've explained the reason why to a certain extent though, and hope to explain why she changed (at least in relation to the Prince) in the next chapter._

_Hope people don't mind how tangled I'm making the web of relationships between Rivan, Lyon, Miakis and Lym. I don't need to go to that extent to explain their personalities... but its fun :P  
_

_Sorry the tale is going to take two chapters EDIT - make that THREE - Miakis initial monologue was longer than I thought it would be, so I decided to divide it in two, if only to make the deadline. (Miakis needs to have her say as things will be focusing a bit more on Lyon after Chapter 4). I'm already into Chapter 4, so it should be done next week, maybe in one or two days even - though don't hold me to that _


	4. Brothers and Sisters Love and Duty 2

**_Scene Four: Brothers and Sisters. Love and Duty. (Part 2 of 3)_**

**_

* * *

_**

The horse's hooves landed hard on the closely packed dirt.

The Prince's rear landed harder.

"Oof," grunted Rivan as the wind was knocked out of him. He barely had time to wince before Lyon was at his side. Miakis was about to vault of her off her own mount but she felt a slim yet insistent hand shoot out and grip her by the arm.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked Lymsleia angrily.

"What are _you_ doing?" Lym hissed back at her, "You're _my_ bodyguard Miakis! Look – Lyon's with him."

Sure enough the dark haired girl was already helping Rivan to his feet.

"Prince! Are you alright?" the girl asked in evident concern.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Rivan answered groggily, "But I swear that horse is out to kill me."

In response the great black steed that Lord Barrows had 'graciously' lent to him snorted and seemed to prance forward haughtily, throwing its head in disdain.

"Same to you buddy," the Prince laughed.

Shaking off the hand of the Princess with a scowl, Miakis trotted her own mount towards her two friends. "You don't need to stand for this you know," she said, as she dismounted.

"I'm not doing a lot of sitting on this trip," Rivan muttered ruefully. "Or much _riding_ either come to think of it."

"I'm not kidding around," Miakis said seriously, and she made sure that for once her expression showed it. "And neither should you. We all know the reason why the Princess suddenly decided to go 'riding'."

Lyon and the Prince exchanged a glance. It was no secret that Rivan – so agile and confident on foot – was at a bit of a loss when it came to riding horses. The Queen had brought in some of the finest riders in the Queendom to instruct him, but Rivan barely managed to stay in his saddle most days, and that was on a docile horse. This monster stallion that Lord Barrows had picked out – apparently upon being told by Lym that her brother wanted a 'spirited' mount – was way out of his league. Miakis doubted whether even Roog or Rahal could tame the beast… and they were trained to ride _dragon_ horses! Lym on the other hand, had taken to riding like a duck to water – or like a brat to mischief. It was very clear to Miakis – and should be clear in her opinion, to anyone with a brain - that this was just the latest in a string of efforts to make life difficult for the Prince.

Despite all that, Rivan simply shook his head. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

"Prince- " Lyon began.

"Rivan-" Miakis started.

The boy cut them both off. "She's my sister," he said, "And our future Queen. Don't speak ill of her." He gestured with his head. "Besides, she's almost here."

True enough, Lym came trotting up to them, her white mare practically prancing, while at her side another mare bearing Luserina Barrows moved forward with a more dignified gait.

"Are you alright Prince?" Luserina asked, in a concerned tone of voice.

"Oh dear brother is used to falls like that," Lym practically cackled, "Aren't you Puh-_rince?_"

Rivan just ignored his younger sisters' tone, though Miakis was sure she saw his jaw clench a little. "Oh, you know what they say milady – practice makes perfect." He smiled graciously at Luserina. "I'm alright milady, don't worry. As my sister says, I've had worse."

The brown haired girl smiled. "Well I'm glad I wasn't present for the 'worse' – this alone nearly gave me a hea- "

"Alright, enough chit-chat," Lym interrupted her, whirling her horse around easily, "It's almost noon, and I want to cover as _much_ ground as possible. It is just _such_ a beautiful day for riding," the Princess positively glowed as she looked up at the angry, overcast sky. As she and Luserina headed back to the front of the entourage, she looked back over her shoulder at her brother. "_Do_ try to keep up alright brother dear? You know how I hate I when you hold me back…"

With that she was off, leaving the Prince behind, along with a rather irate Lyon and Miakis.

Make that a _very_ irate Miakis.

"I can't believe it! How could she speak to you that way?" the purple haired apprentice Knight fumed, her hands twitching towards her daggers. "Even rudeness has its limits!"

"I agree completely," Lyon nodded her head in agreement, "I mean, who does she think she is?"

"Yeah, who does she think she is, acting like a Princess of Falena, Heir to the Sun Throne?" Rivan commented drolly.

"Oh come of it," Miakis snapped, "Royal blood doesn't give you the right to be a Royal Pain!"

"I say we tell Commander Ferid just how bad she's gotten," Lyon offered, "I'm sure if they knew she'd gotten this far out of hand…"

"Leave it be Lyon," Rivan said, "Mother and Father have more than enough problems to deal with as it is."

"But Prince - " his bodyguard objected.

"Leave it be," he repeated, and Lyon sighed, then nodded her head.

Miakis though was not quite so easily subdued. "What, you think you're doing anyone a favor by just letting her have her way all the time? What kind of Queen do you think she's going to be if she grows up not having to treat other people with the slightest decency?"

Rivan sighed. "Look, it's not like she's this way with other people. Just – well, just with me."

"And that makes it okay?" the older girl asked incredulously.

"No, but it makes it a bit premature to speculate about what this means for her future as a Queen," Rivan countered, just as a piercing shout was beard from the vanguard of their riding party.

"Miiiiaaaakkkkiiissss!" Lym called out, and more than a few highly trained guardsmen had to resist the urge to cover their ears.

"Uh oh," Lyon said. "Looks like she's waiting for you."

"Let 'er wait," growled Miakis, placing her hands over her chest.

"Go on Miakis," Rivan told her.

"No! Why should I?" Miakis protested.

"Because it's your duty."

"She's not wor- " Miakis began, but stopped when she saw the alarmed expressions on the faces of the Prince and Lyon. They weren't alone in the forest, and some lines could not be crossed within hearing of any but the closest of friends. "I just think she's long overdue for a lesson in respect."

"And who's going to teach that to her if you're way back here?" Rivan inquired, "She certainly won't listen to _me_…"

Miakis sighed heavily. "Oh fine fine FINE!" the young Knight-to-be exclaimed. "I should remember that the next time I spar with you Rivan, it should be with knives, not words."

"Thanks Miakis," Rivan smiled, "Sweets are on me when we get back to the Palace."

"Don't think I won't hold you to that!" the purple haired girl warned as she reluctantly rode back towards the waiting Princess, a scowl set on the Knight apprentice's fate.

Bribing her with sweets might be enough to get her to return to her duty, but not even a lakeful of chocolate could make her _like_ it.

* * *

Even the Princess' zeal for riding gave way to hunger at some point, and the entourage found themselves setting up a mid-afternoon camp by the Feitas. The soldiers who accompanied them were soon pounding stakes and poles into the ground, both for tent moorings and as an erstwhile perimeter, while those of the Sun Palace kitchen staff who had been brought along for the journey busied themselves preparing a lavish mid afternoon meal that was vastly at odds with their rustic setting. After all, even in the woods, Royalty deserved to be treated like Royalty.

Even if only one of them was really acting like it.

"What's he _doing_?" Lymsleia asked, as she watched her brother grab one end of a wooden pole being brought towards the kitchen pavilion. The guardsman carrying the other end tried to wave him off but the prince merely laughed and persisted.

"Hm. That's a toughie…. Uhm, milking a cow?" Miakis answered, rolling her eyes, "What does it _look_ like he's doing Princess? He's lending a hand."

"But why?" Lym shook her head in disbelief, "That's what we brought all these people for anyway." She waved her hand at the small army of guardsmen and palace functionaries milling about them. "It's not even _our_ tent – why bother?"

"If I need to explain, then you wouldn't understand anyway," Lym's bodyguard sighed, and the Princess inwardly fumed. She _hated_ it when Miakis treated her like some ignorant peasant. She had tutors instructing her in six languages! Not that she allowed many of them to finish their lessons before ordering them to leave her alone… But still! She was _educated_ – whatever Miakis had to say, Lym was certain it wouldn't be over her head.

Although the Princess did readily admit there were some things that would always remain a mystery to her. Like why Miakis always took Rivan's side.

Lym looked at her brother, who had somehow maneuvered Lyon into joining his stupid little act. Oh that's what it was – just some act to make everyone think he was such a nice boy, such a great Prince, one with the common people. Miakis just didn't understand… of course it was easy for Rivan to do that – _he_ wasn't going to be Queen. He might as well be one of their retainers!

"Well, they certainly look like they're having fun," Miakis said, an odd catch to her voice as she watched Rivan jokingly miss whacking Lyon on the head with a tent pole, and narrowly evade the black haired girl's counter-attack. The older girl turned to her ward. "Wanna join in?"

"Are you an idiot?" the Princess snorted. It was very unlady-like - and Mother would have been aghast - but it seemed to be the appropriate response. It was what Aunt Sialeeds did whenever that Knight Apprentice Kyle tried to give her gifts. She held out her hand beyond the shelter of the canvas above her and felt the soft kiss of raindrops, and an almost liquid mist. "It's already starting to rain… and anyway, why would I want to get all dirty and sweaty to do something that'll get done anyway in the end?"

"Oh." Miakis said, unsurprised, "Alright then," Lym's bodyguard then began to walk away from the Princess.

"Hey! Wh-where are you going?" Lym asked, and she hated the fact that her voice showed her alarm and disappointment. Stupid Miakis!

The purple haired girl shook her head, "Maybe I should just have everyone wear a sign," she muttered, before speaking in slow, measured tones: "I – am – going – to – help – out – too."

"B-but!" Lym protested, "I told you I wasn't going to go!"

"Gotcha. I heard you."

"That means you have to stay too!" Lym shouted.

"Not quite," Miakis answered, "Since last I heard, 'me' and 'you' were quite different people. Thank the Sun."

"But - you're my bodyguard!" Lym cried out.

"Oh don't worry about that – that's why we brought all these people anyway," she said, in a reasonable facsimile of Lym's voice. "Like a wise little girl once said: Why do I need to do something that'll get done anyway in the end, right?"

Lym stared. "But – but… that…. That wasn't…"

Her bodyguard just ignored her protests. "Couldn't have said it better myself," the purple-haired girl grinned, "See ya!" And with that Miakis trotted away – away towards Rivan.

"I hate you!" Miakis fumed, stamping one royal foot into the unyielding ground. The ground appeared to be indifferent to the violence, which only served to anger Lym more. Did nothing she do matter? She couldn't take this anymore… It wasn't fair!

The Princess sucked in a deep breath, then let all her anguish out in a wordless scream of pure frustration.

"_EEEYYYAAAAAGGGHHH! _MIAKIS I _HATE _YOU!"

All activity in the camp ceased at her shout, and every eye turned towards the diminutive Princess. Miakis was red faced, and she opened her mouth to let loose what would probably have been a blistering rejoinder –

- if it had not been drowned out by a resounding feral roar from amongst the trees.

Almost before anyone could move, a thunderous crash sounded throughout the underbrush and an immense, dark brown bear tore through the foliage surrounding the camp, emerging not three meters from the shocked Princess. Lym had seen some fearsome creatures before to be sure – but never uncaged, and certainly not this close. The guardsmen dropped their tools and scrambled for their weapons, but the bear was quicker, batting aside two who were within arms reach, and striding meaningful forward – straight for Lym.

The Princess screamed, and tried to run, but in her fear her limbs moved as if made of ice, and she stumbled and fell backwards, the pain of impact forgotten as the bear charged her, mouth open and jaws slavering. Lym screamed then, her heart pounding so hard in her chest she could hear nothing else.

She was going to die, she thought to herself. She was going to die without having lived at all.

But as fast as the beast was, the Queen's Knights Apprentices were faster. Miakis was nearer and arrived on the scene first, twin daggers biting into the matted fur of a beastly forearm. The bear roared, withdrawing its injured arm and rearing back on its hind legs to swipe at the purple-haired girl with its good arm. But even before it could begin its downward swing, Lyon was there, her folding sword fully extended, dashing behind the bear and dealing a vicious blow to its left hind leg. Lyon barely missed the hamstring, but her strike cleaved a substantial portion of flesh from the animal's hind leg, and the creature fell back on all fours.

And then, just like that, it was over, the bear fleeing back into the forest as quickly as it had come, leaving the camp still and stunned in its wake.

Luserina was the first to speak. "Goodness… is everyone alright?"

Some soldiers went to tend to the two who had been nearly mauled by the beast, but happily aside from tattered egos, the gravest of their injuries would likely be a paw-shaped bruise from the paw-shaped dents in their armor. The other soldiers had formed a two-layered protective circle around the pavilion which sheltered Luserina and the Royals. Outside, what had begun as a drizzle had become a steady down pour, and the guardsmen who formed the outer circle were soon drenched, rivulets of water streaming down their burnished armor. Despite the deluge though, they stood as steadfast and alert as their brethren within the tent – the best Falena had to offer. Still… the Princess remained terribly frightened. They were only men after all – and that thing had been easily five times the size of the largest of the guardsmen. Lym clung to Miakis' arm, and for once her bodyguard made no move to disengage from her.

"I'm terribly sorry," Luserina apologized, bowing her head in contrition, "I had no idea there was a bear in the area – they have been so rare, what with the drought and- "

"It… It's okay Luserina," Lym squeaked, then cleared her throat, "You couldn't have known. I'm just glad that… thing, is gone!"

Rivan however, still looked apprehensive. "Tell me my lady," he asked the Barrows' daughter, "Are there any people who live near here? Farmsteads or villages or…?"

"There are a few…" Luserina began, then her eyes widened in comprehension. "Oh no…"

Rivan nodded. "There aren't many things more dangerous than a wounded bear, or so my Father tells me." He turned to the others. "We have to send some men after it – to finish it off."

The sky rumbled ominously as the guardsmen within hearing distance looked uncomfortably at each other. "Beg pardon your Highness," the guard captain finally ventured, turning to address his Prince, "But we have strict orders not to stray from the side of the Royal Family. Commander Ferid was very explicit. And what with bears around, in this weather…" the man shrugged helplessly.

Rivan's eyes narrowed. "Fine then – guard _me._ I'm going after the bear."

Lym's jaw dropped in shock. "You're crazy! Did you see how big it was? And you want to go _after_ it?" He couldn't be serious. Had he seen what had almost happened to her? Had he seen how _scared_ she was? Did he even care?

He shook his head. "I don't _want_ to Lym," he explained, "But if I don't someone is going to get hurt."

"What about me?" she cried hysterically. How could he do this? How could he… Rivan must not care what happened to her at all! How could he be so selfish? "What if _I_ get hurt? I almost… you can't take the guards! I won't let you!"

"Lym…" Rivan began, but she cut him off.

"No one leaves!" the Princess shouted, then turned to the guardsmen. "I _order_ you to stay here and guard me. Father said so!"

"Lym people are going to get hurt!"

"No!" Lym squatted down on her haunches and placed her hands over her ears. She didn't want to hear it, didn't want to know. That bear had come after _her._ "Please… _Please_ brother, let's just stay here, with everyone, and leave as soon as we can! The rain will let up, you'll see!"

"Lym…" Rivan sighed, and he placed his hand on the girl's shaking shoulder. His voice was gentle, yet firm. "Lym… This is our _duty_."

The word pierced her heart, for it was a word that carried much significance in their family. How could it not? She'd seen how her Mother, Aunt Sialeeds… Even her Father changed, when they spoke of duty. But… it wasn't fair. They were adults - they could handle it! And Lym… Lym was just a little girl. Princess or not, she was so scared… Scared that she wouldn't be able to say no – not when duty was involved.

Unless – it was all just… just some trick. Yes, that was it… Lym realized then what was happening. Rivan was just getting his way again! She would not have it!

Lym shrugged off his hand violently. "My duty…" she began, in a trembling voice. She knew she should stop, but in her fear and desperation, the words just came tumbling out. "My _duty_ is to become Queen! _You_ go – you go and get yourself killed if you want! _I'm_ the one who will succeed Mother – you're _nothing_ Rivan! The guards should protect me!" She took a deep breath, part of her wanting to stop, but the fear, the momentum of the moment, pushed her on. "No one needs _you_! You needn't even have been born!"

There was complete silence at her words, and the falling rain seemed unnaturally loud in her ears. Lyon was aghast and Miakis had a look of utter and complete disbelief.

Rivan looked like he'd been stabbed in the heart.

Then the guards began to mutter amongst themselves, looking from Prince to Princess, some beginning to break ranks, sending black looks Lym's way, while others stayed still as statues, though their eyes were troubled. Before anyone else said a word though, the Prince spoke.

"Lyon, we're leaving." His hands were balled into white-knuckled fists.

"I… Yes, my Prince," his bodyguard said quietly, falling into place behind him.

"Your Highness," one of the guards began, and Lym's eyes grew wide. They couldn't be thinking of –

"If you wish us to- "

"You heard the Princess," Rivan said, through gritted teeth. "I rescind my earlier request. Lyon and I should be enough."

"Your Highness, we can't let - "

"I _won't_ have you choosing sides," the Prince said quietly, but his tone left no room for argument. "We've had enough of that. Obey your… future Queen."

"_Rivan_!" Miakis called out, as he and Lyon turned to go. He stopped but didn't look back. "Let me- "

"Stay with the Princess," Rivan said, in a dead voice.

"Don't be stupid Rivan, I-"

"That _wasn't_ a request," this time he did turn back. "It's your place Miakis. And I… well, I guess we know mine…"

With that he and Lyon were gone, disappearing like ghosts amidst the curtain of rain.

_He… he really left,_ Lym thought to herself. She could hardly believe it. She hadn't thought he really would, she realized. Her heart started to beat painfully fast as it began to dawn upon her just how much danger he was exposing himself to.

_No… I won't feel bad! It was his fault – it was his idea!_

She pushed the seeds of guilt away, squashed them beneath pride and fear and need. She had only told the truth after all – she _was _more important, she _was_ going to be Queen. Even Rivan had agreed with her in the end… Maybe now Miakis and the others would too.

The Princess turned to where her bodyguard stood, where Rivan had left her behind. Miakis stood staring into the rain for a long while, then she turned and addressed the guard captain in uncharacteristically brisk tones.

"I'm taking the Princess to her tent," she said, pointing out the elevated tent which had been placed right at the edge of the pavilion, allowing for dry access even in the storm, and which would keep its occupant out of soil that was quickly turning into mud as water seeped beneath the surface. They had brought it them for the ride, just incase the weather turned bad. No one however, had expected it to turn _this_ bad. "Re-center the circle there and rotate those who get to stay inside the pavilion, except for the injured."

"Yes ma'am," the captain responded easily, not resenting in the least being ordered around by an eighteen year old girl.

Miakis said nothing as she took Lym's hand and led her towards the tent, but Lym was so nervous she couldn't stop babbling. Through her fear a single ray of light shined through. Miakis had stayed! She was going to protect her! Not only that, but from the way she was carrying herself – nary a sarcastic remark or joke to be found -she was finally taking her job _seriously_!

"Do you think the rain will stop soon? Are we safe here you think?" she asked as they entered the tent. Lym was babbling, she knew that, but she couldn't help it. She had been so relieved – she had thought Miakis would have followed Rivan out into the rain, and then what would Lym have done? No one else but Miakis could protect her. "I mean, won't the bear stay out of the rain? That means it'd be better if it didn't stop right? But if it doesn't we won't be able to leave and I guess that's okay since we have to wait for that stupid brother of m- "

Lym was still talking when the open handed slap caught her at the side of her face.

It was not a powerful blow, but the young girl fell to her knees in shock, staring wide eyed up at her bodyguard, who wore an expression Lym had never ever seen on her before, something more akin to a person looking at a dead frog, or some other slimy, disgusting creature.

"How _could_ you…" Miakis growled, her voice tight with barely restrained emotion, "How _could_ you? He's worth _ten_ of you. A _hundred_! The things he does, the way he serves his people – you'd _never_ be able to match him, not in a million years!" Her entire body trembled, and her hands spasmed on the hilts of her daggers. In a fit of rage she stripped off her weapons belt and threw it hard onto the canvas covered ground. The knives made no sound as they hit the thick cloth, and yet at the same time, Lym could almost hear them echoing in her head.

The older girl leaned down towards the Princess, her face intense. Lym would almost rather have faced the bear.

"If anything happens to him," Miakis hissed, "Anything at all… I swear _Princess_, you'd best find another Knight to guard your back, for you and I… are through!"

With that Miakis spun on her heel, and almost threw the tent out of joint, so roughly did she push against the flap as she left.

Lym could barely breathe, barely think. It was practically treason, what Miakis had done, to raise a hand against the royal family – she, a Queen's Knight candidate! Yet that wasn't what occupied the Princess' jagged thoughts as she lay there sobbing in great quivering gasps, tears rolling down here cheeks faster than the rain outside.

It wasn't fair. She was the _Princess_. People… people were supposed to obey her. Protect her.

_Love_ her…

"_Miakis_…"

Barely able to see through her tears, she crawled backwards deeper into the tent, and her hands brushed against tooled leather. Miakis dagger belt. As if in a daze, the tiny girl pulled the belt to her, stared at it a moment, then unsheathed one of the daggers. It took almost all her strength just to hold it up, but Lym bit her lip hard and persevered. She stared at its naked blade, steel full of wriggling shadows as the light from a nearby lantern danced within it.

_You'd never be able to match him, not in a million years!_

She'd show them. She'd show them all. She was better than Rivas. She _was._

She had to be.

With a grunt of effort, Lym made a single downward slash through the rear canvas of the tent, the weight and keenness of the weapon more than her own strength moving the blade in its downward arch. Instantly the wind blew inside the tent, forcing the rent in the tent wider – just wide enough for a six year old Princess to slip through.

And vanish into the howling, swirling storm.

* * *

_OOC: Did I say this was going to be a two-parter? Sigh... Sorry about that - the characters have just been running away with me in this Scene. It's hard to write a six year old who is trying to justify to herself doing something she knows in her heart is wrong - they get very wordy :P And since Lym running away seemed a good place to end a chapter... I hope you guys can bear with me for one more where I close the scene. Since there are important relationship changes in the ending portion, I didn't want to rush it, but neither did I want to miss my deadline by another week - so, in the meantime, please enjoy part 2. _  



	5. Brothers and Sisters Love and Duty 3

**_Scene Four: Brothers and Sisters. Love and Duty. (Part 3 of 3)_**

The rain hated Miakis.

It was, in the purple haired girl's honest opinion, the only plausible explanation. Despite her silent – and not-so-silent – pleadings, threats and exhortations, the damnable weather persisted in its downpour, soaking down past her armor and into her very bones, crippling visibility to a paltry foot or two before it was completely obscured by the torrent. How the rain could be so intransigent, Miakis did not know – she had it on good authority that she could be utterly irresistible when she wanted something, and she wanted sunny weather so bad she could almost taste it – but she was beginning to take the rejection a tad personally. The young girl glared at a nearby puddle which had formed amidst a rocky portion of forest ground, and found it to be particularly representative of the evil forces conspiring against her, and she decided then and there to give it a piece of her mind. Miakis groped for her daggers, then realized she had left them back at the tent with that… unmentionable person. She settled for merely stamping on the puddle vigorously with her right foot, until muddy water cloaked her to the shins.

"Stop already!" she hissed, but the deluge paid no heed to either her words or her stomps. Annoyed, she searched for, and found, a sharp branch broken off by the violence of the storm, and stabbed it into the center of the unoffending body of water.

"There. That'll show you!" she crowed triumphantly, aware that several nearby guardsmen were giving her wary glances.

She didn't care. Miakis knew she was acting unreasonably. It was what she did when the world was being unreasonable with _her._ Miakis had always been half convinced that whenever life threw her one its many unpleasant surprises – oh, only boys can ride dragon horses, or oh, you'll be the Princess' guard and not the Rivan's – that someone up there was having a laugh at her expense. Well, two could play that game, she had thought, and resolved from then on to give as much unreasonableness as she got. It was not much of a plan, but it did have its moments.

Besides, it was better than standing there in the damnable rain, and doing nothing. Doing nothing meant she'd just keep thinking, which meant she'd think about Rivan – her little Prince, out there in the storm, with only Lyon to guard his back. Not that she thought Lyon wouldn't do an excellent job on her own – but she certainly believed that Rivan Falenas deserved more than one back-watcher, no matter how competent.

Unlike a certain _other_ scion of royalty she could name.

She should have gone with them, Miakis thought to herself. She should have insisted, and orders be damned, whether they be that of Rivan or his Father. If something happened to him, she'd never forgive herself! Or Lyon! Or Lym! Or this stupid, infernal rain!

Miakis realized suddenly how worked up she was getting, and with a supreme effort of will, tried to calm herself. A bit of eccentricity was fine – a Queen's Knight could be allowed a certain leeway for character quirks – but like it or not, she had a job to do, and if she was stuck with it anyway, she might as well do a good job.

Even if she couldn't stand to be in the same room as the girl she was supposed to protect.

Miakis looked back at the tent, its outline barely visible, where the Princess was presumably huddled in relative dryness, warmth and comfort – if her head hadn't exploded from rage at the way Miakis had treated her. The purple haired girl was well aware that what she had done was more than improper – it was technically punishable by death. A member of the Royal Family was sacrosanct in Falena, especially if she was the sole female child, upon whom depended the continuance of the royal line. Even if some of the guardsmen appeared to dislike the Princess, Miakis didn't think any of them would have had any qualms of killing her on the spot if they had been witness to her act. It didn't matter whether or not one _liked_ the Sun – if you tried to touch it, you'd burn. There was no justification, merely cause and effect.

She didn't care. The brat had deserved it, and more besides.

Still, while Miakis was willing to hurt her, she was _not_ willing to risk anyone else doing the same. She'd been patrolling a tight circle around the Princess' tent and the pavilion where Luserina and the injured guards were positioned, and she'd made sure to set four guardsmen near the princess' tent soon after Miakis' hasty departure. The Queen's Knight Apprentice considered for a moment returning to the tent to retrieve her weapons, but then thought better of it. Perhaps later … at the moment it was not a very good idea for Miakis, the Princess, and a pair of daggers to be within reach of each other.

Besides, it was not as if Miakis was completely defenseless, even when she was completely unarmed. She gingerly touched the top of her right hand with her left. Despite the rain, which had so soaked all other aspects of her being, she could feel a steady warmth emanating from the top of her right hand. The Queen's Knights were expected to be at least familiar with runes and rune magic, and Miakis was proud to say she was beginning to be much more than that. Miakis took great pride in the fact that she was the only one amongst the apprentices allowed to train with a Fire rune. Fire was a very tricky element to master, as had been so recently demonstrated by the rumored rune-caused conflagration in the northern continent. It had taken months of constant effort before Miakis had grown confident enough to have one attached for a prolonged length of time – well worth the effort, in retrospect, when she remembered the look on Alenia's face when she had accurately used flaming arrows for the first time. The only rune the snotty little Godwin had shown any affinity for was the Firefly – and _that_ might just be because when any man, woman or monster spent any amount of time with Alenia, it took almost magical discipline _not_ to attack her.

So no, Miakis was not worried about what she would do if ever the wounded bear decided to make its way back to the camp. In fact, she wished it would. What she _did_ worry about was what would happen if the Prince and Lyon actually found the creature. Lyon could handle herself, that much Miakis knew, but the Prince…

She still sparred with him, on an almost daily basis – it was one aspect of their relationship that hadn't changed with Lyon's arrival. At first this was because Ferid had forbidden Lyon from becoming one of the Prince's sparring partners, perhaps to prevent a repeat of what had happened when _first_ the two had met, but later it was because Lyon simply could not find it in herself to raise a hand against Rivan. Miakis however, had never had that particular foible. Besides, she enjoyed their spars – Rivan had talent bred into his blood after all, and he was being trained by the very best Falena had to offer. Yet, for all that, he was still a twelve year old boy who barely stood tall enough to reach her shoulder. He was good – but he just wasn't good enough to be out there, hunting a crazed bear. The entire idea was, in Miakis' humble opinion, entirely too stupid for words. Rivan should have been smart enough to see that!

Miakis sighed. And he probably did. Yet… with Rivan there was never a choice when duty beckoned. That too, was in his blood, and really – she wouldn't change that for the world.

She just hoped he'd be able to keep his blood in his body.

Just then, over the constant wet pelting of rain upon leaf, Miakis thought she heard a noise. The storm was a constant, inescapable cacophony in her ears, but at the same time, it created a uniform blanket of noise within which other sounds stood out. Sounds like a boot sinking into viscous mud.

A boot… or perhaps, a paw?

Miakis crouched low on the ground as she heard the sound again, her ears trying to narrow down the source of the sound. Her heart was thudding steadily in her chest – in the dark, in the rain, it was like fighting blind. Confident of her prowess against a bear in a head on fight, she was slightly less inclined to believe she'd fare as well if she were taken by surprise from behind. She needed to strike first and fast – but she couldn't risk going all out, just in case it was Lyon or the Prince. She'd already made her quota for royal beatings for today anyway. But if she struck half-heartedly, and it _was_ the bear…

_Aw forget it,__I'm sure I'll come up with something when the time come… _Miakis thought to herself – just as a misshapen silhouette came into view.

"PrinceLyonDUCK -!" Miakis blurted out, a split second before sending a fire arrow towards the top of the approaching creature, barely missing it as it seemed to separate into two, each side flopping down onto the mud… and revealing a pair not as happy to see her as she was to see them.

"Are you _out of your mind?" _Prince Rivan grated out, through gritted teeth, his white hair like a halo of light amidst the sodden darkness now that she was close enough to see it.

"Oh – it IS you!" Miakis gushed, "Rivan! Lyon! I'm SO glad!"

"W-wait," said Lyon, from her own position on the muddy ground, "You _knew _it was us?"

"Well, I thought so, but I wasn't sure – hence, the fire arrow."

"Ooookay…" Rivan said, as Lyon helped him to his feet, "You _thought_ it was us, and you _still_ tried to set my head on fire?"

"Of course not!" Miakis exclaimed indignantly, "That's why I told you to duck, didn't I? Juuust in case… and you did!"

"No," Rivan growled, "I _slipped._ You were speaking so fast, all I heard was 'Pryliodak'!"

Miakis gave it some thought. "Oh, well. Close enough," she said, before throwing decorum to the wind and catching the two younger children in a fierce hug, which both eagerly reciprocated. The three friends were silent for a long moment, storm, bear and harsh words all forgotten.

Until Miakis realized with a start that Lyon wasn't wearing a shirt.

The elder apprentice leapt back in shock, pointing an accusing finger at Lyon, who wore only a leather halter, and the Prince.

"Wh- wh- wh…" Miakis spluttered, as the two looked on quizzically.

"What's wrong?" Rivan asked innocently, while Lyon turned to look behind them, hand on her weapon, as if Miakis had seen an enemy

Miakis took a deep, calming breath. "Lyon," she asked, in a strained voice, "Where's your shirt?"

"Oh." Lyon looked down at herself, then to Rivan. "I took it off and gave it to the Prince."

Miakis felt her right hand twitch. Speechlessly, she turned to Rivan, who just blinked at her.

"What?" he asked innocently, "Lyon tried to make it into a hood for me, to keep the rain off, but it snagged on some branches on the way back. I told her it was useless in this storm anyway, but she insisted…"

"It was better than nothing," the younger apprentice answered defensively, as Miakis breathed a huge sigh of relief. Of _course_ Rivan didn't see anything strange about it – while he was beginning his adolescence, the Queen and Ferid had made sure he and the Princess had lived sheltered lives… which, nowadays, largely consisted of making sure Kyle was never near either of them without Ferid or Zahak to keep him in line.

Miakis made a mental note to give Lyon a bit of a talking to however. While a certain ignorance of matters of the body was forgivable and endearing in boys, it wasn't the same for a young woman. Not that Lyon was growing up all _that_ quickly… Miakis idly wondered how the Prince would've reacted if she-

"_A_-nyway," Miakis said, clearing her throat and her mind. (He's _twelve!_) "Let's get Rivan somewhere dry – if a place like that still exists in Falena…" Turning serious she asked Lyon: "Did you get it?"

The Prince's bodyguard shook her head, as they began to walk back to the camp. "No, alas," she answered, although Miakis could sense her relief, "And I told Rivan it was much to dark and stormy for us to have any chance of finding it."

"We did manage to warn the militia of nearby farmsteads," Rivan added, "All we can do is hope word spreads faster than the bear travels."

Word spread quickly when the three companions reached the camp. The guardsmen were visibly relieved that the Prince was safe, but maintained their posts as they were informed that the bear was still a threat. Meanwhile Miakis led Lyon and Rivan to the pavilion, where a relieved Luserina met them.

"Your Highness!" The beautiful girl exclaimed. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

"Thank you my lady," Rivan said as he plopped exhaustedly onto a seat. "I'm glad as well." He quirked an eyebrow at the still standing Lyon.

"You can sit Lyon, I know you're tired too…"

The black haired girl shook her head. "This is what we train for your Highness. Don't mind me…" She looked around, and spotted the table laden with their untouched afternoon meal. "You just sit right there – I'll be back with some food."

"I'll come with you," Miakis offered. She turned to Luserina. "May I leave our idiot of a hero in your hands milady?"

"Oh, uhm, yes…" Luserina agreed, not quite sure how to react to Miakis' manner of address.

"Off we go then," Miakis announced, taking Lyon firmly by the elbow, and steering her towards the food.

"I'm fine by myself Miakis," Lyon protested.

"Please," the older apprentice sniffed. "I'm not as gullible as Rivan. You can barely stand."

"The Prince isn't gullible!"

"I can see that's the only part you deny."

Lyon sighed, and Miakis felt the smaller girl allow herself to lean on her friend. "I am a bit more… fatigued, than I'd expected. Storms… bring back memories. Bad memories."

"Aren't they all?" Miakis said knowingly, as the two began to fill a pair of plates – one of which Miakis as going to make sure was Lyon's. With an added cake or two for Miakis as well of course…

"Not since coming here." Lyon answered quietly. "Not since I started serving the Prince…"

"How is he?" Miakis asked, serious and concerned. "I mean, after what _she_ said…"

The younger girl shook her head. "I don't know. You know how he is – when he has something to focus on, some duty to accomplish, he can put his feelings aside. But… he loves her Miakis. He has to be hurting so much inside…"

Miakis grit her teeth. "I should have hit her twice as hard…" she mumbled, not even knowing she said it out loud until she heard Lyon's terrified gasp.

"You _didn't…_"

The older apprentice didn't answer, deftly moving towards the Prince and Luserina with her two plates of food. "Hey Rivan! Chow time!"

"Miakis…" Lyon hissed urgently, as she caught up with her friend. "Do you know what you've done? If word gets out…"

"You telling me you wouldn't have done the same, if you were me?" Miakis asked, glaring at the shorter girl. Lyon met her gaze for awhile, then turned away.

"I just… I don't want anything to happen to you Miakis."

"I'll be fine," the older girl said, waving Lyon's concerns away, as if treason was such a petty thing. It wasn't Miakis' way, worrying about the consequences of something she knew she had to do. After what Lym had said… well, Lym might as well have placed Miakis palm against her cheek herself.

When they reached Rivan, they found him already rising to his feet, waving away Luserina's offered hand.

"Hey!" Miakis demanded, Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm sorry," Luserina said, "But he was so insistent…"

"We have your food Prince," Lyon added, "Please try to eat something. You must be exhausted…"

Rivan didn't deny it – couldn't really, for his legs were visibly weak – but he refused their request. "I can eat after I've reported to Lym."

"What?" Miakis blurted out, "Why? She didn't even want you to go! She didn't care about the danger to her people!"

The Prince merely shrugged. "Doesn't matter," he said in a tired voice, "Whether she cares or not, they're still her people. And she's their Princess… She needs to know what's been done to keep them safe." He paused a moment. "Besides, I want to check on her. See if she's alright…"

Miakis took a step back. Rivan couldn't know that she… "If she needed anything she'd come out here and demand it herself. You're the only one who needs checking on around here – after all your work tonight - "

"She's had quite the scare - " Rivan began.

"- after what she said - "

" – she probably didn't mean -"

"She doesn't love you Rivan!" Miakis shouted.

The others were quiet as Rivan stared at his friend. The Prince ran a hand through his long white hair, and again the sad smile appeared on his face. "I'm not blind Miakis," he said quietly, "But I'm still her brother."

Rivan left then, heading to the other side of the pavilion, where Lym's tent had been pitched, Lyon trailing after him at a respectable distance. Miakis meanwhile crossed her arms and scowled. Why did he waste his time on her? Sure he was her brother, but that didn't mean he had to cater to her every whim did it?

But, the fact of it was, he _did_… and Miakis suddenly realized that he might not react very well to her method of defending his honor. "Prince, wait a sec," she called out, as she rushed belatedly to follow them, but he entered the tent before she could reach him.

_If that brat rats on me…_ she thought in anger, as she flipped open the tent flap – "Prince I can explain- " she began…

And stopped, frozen in horror, as she gazed at the jagged hole torn in the rear of the tent.

The empty tent.

"Lym!" Rivan was calling out, as he stuck his head through the hole. Constrained by its size, he tore it wider in his frustration, allowing a fresh gust of rain and wind to blow into the tent. "Lym!"

Lyon was moving as well, dropping to the ground and searching for some sign, some clue of Lym's disappearance – but Miakis could only stand at the entrance, her jaw slack in disbelief.

_Oh no. Oh no…_

"Miakis," Lyon asked slowly, as she stood up holding one of Miakis' daggers, "What were these doing here…?"

Miakis didn't answer, instead rushing out the tent after the Prince. Rivan looked at her, his silver-white hair plastered all over his panicked features. "She's not here Miakis – Lym's gone!"

No. No she couldn't be gone. She was just playing a trick, a cruel trick, something to get back at Miakis for what she'd done. She couldn't be gone…

"Lym!" she shouted. "LYM!"

Rivan shook his head. "We have to get the guards, have them search – she might still be nearby!"

"LYMMM!" Miakis looked frantically from side to side, but she could see nothing but the rain, nothing but wet darkness, all around her. Darkness that seemed to press against her, ramming against her mind, her senses.

_I've failed. I've failed her. I've failed him. I've failed them all…_

"LYM! LYM! LY- "

"SNAP OUT OF IT!" Rivan shouted into her ear, shaking her by the shoulders. Miakis was bigger than the lad, and fully armored, but his need gave him strength. Shocked out of her near-trance, her eyes focused on her Prince.

"Keep it together Miakis!" Rivan begged, and she could hear the strain in his voice, the helplessness, "I need you to keep it together… Please…"

Miakis blinked back the rain from her eyes, her mind clearing, focusing. Focusing on the problem, and on the burden being borne by the slim boy in front of her. She pushed the guilt, the loathing, down, down inside her. It festered in her core, sickened her so much she wanted to vomit, but for now she could function – for now she could lend him the strength he needed.

"Head to the pavilion," she said in a level tone, "I'll meet up with you there."

Miakis made the rounds quickly, first gathering a group of guardsmen to start searching in a widening circle centered on the tent. She went then to each of the guards she had posted around the tent, but none of them had seen or heard the Princess departing, or being taken from within. Unsurprising really, as it was impossible to see more than a few feet in the storm pelted environment.

_I should have seen it. I should have known! How could I have been so stupid? How could I have left her alone?_

Easily, she realized, for it was something she had been doing all along. Hadn't she spent long hours agonizing over how to get away from the clingy child, to spend more time with the member of the royal family whose company she truly enjoyed – indeed, whose company she felt entitled to? Even now she was more Rivan's bodyguard than Lym's… The Prince had always been, to her mind, more deserving of protection.

Perhaps, she should have instead concerned herself with who _needed_ it more.

_Stupid, stupid STUPID girl!_

The Prince, Lyon, Luserina and the remaining guardsmen were crammed inside the pavilion when she arrived. All of them looked extremely distraught, although the Prince was visibly trying to control himself. Rivan was well aware of who had command in a situation like this, even if there were far more senior guardsmen and attendants on hand. In the end, decisions were made by the royal family – and at that moment, he was the only one at hand.

_Maybe the only one still – _

Miakis shut her eyes and consigned the thought to a fiery hell. Lym was alive – had to be alive. She still had to make Miakis pay for her horrible, horrible mistake. But it wasn't the Princess' regard that concerned her the most at that moment.

The others looked up expectantly as she approached them, but their faces soon fell when they saw her despairing expression. Miakis kept her eyes averted from Rivan's – he was right, he needed her to be focused, now more than ever… and she couldn't do that when her very soul wanted to cringe away from his eyes.

_I'm sorry… I'm so sorry!_

"I've sent our best scouts out to search in advance… But no one saw her leave," she reported, "Nor anyone else approach. But what with the storm, an entire Armes corps might have waltzed in and taken her, for all we'd know."

"Do you think the Princess was abducted?" Luserina asked, wringing her hands. "Should we wait for more soldiers to come?"

Miakis looked up, then turned to Lyon. The younger girl's eyes were anguished, but she nodded resolutely. The purple haired girl sucked in a deep breath. "No, I don't think she was kidnapped…" She looked at the Prince then, finally, and held his gaze. He seemed strangely calmer, as if he was confident that she had somehow solved the entire disaster… instead of having been its cause.

_Please don't hate me…_

"I got into a fight earlier. With the Princess." She sighed. "A big one. And in the end I - "

But Rivan was already speaking before she could admit her crime. "Captain I want every able bodied man out there, searching for my sister. No need to search in groups – you'll cover more ground individually, and I don't think she's been taken by hostile forces. The bear could still be out there though – but if you see it, run. Lym is the priority." The Prince turned to Miakis then, whose mouth was still open in mid-explanation. "What would be the best search pattern Miakis?"

In that moment his eyes, his bearing, were just so much like Commander Ferid's that Miakis found herself snapping to attention and answering instantly. "Well, I'd have a third of them continue with the circling pattern of the scouts, but turning the opposite way, another third scattered along compass points, and the rest searching the south of the Princess' tent, where the opening was."

Rivan nodded in thanks, then turned to the Captain. "Make it happen." Then, as an after thought: "If you lose your way in the storm, keep an eye out – we'll send up a flame to show the position of the camp."

The captain saluted with a fist to his chest, and hurriedly began to carry out his task. Miakis looked from Rivan to the milling troops and back.

"Rivan I…"

He held up a hand. "Luserina, could you stay here with our injured guardsman?"

"If that is what you wish of me Prince," the girl replied, "But I would be more than willing to join in the search, by your leave."

The Prince favored her with a smile. "I know you would my lady, and I am grateful, but our duty does not only lie with finding the Princess."

"Rivan - " Miakis began again, but he interrupted her once more.

"I need you to stay here Miakis," he said briskly, as he stood up, wincing visibly as he put weight on his legs. "How many more shots of flame do you think you could manage from your rune?"

"I… three or four maybe?" she answered, unbalanced by his manner.

"It'll do," he said. "Listen, I want you to send one out every… I don't know, every hour or so – it's a long shot, but hopefully if Lym or the one who finds her can catch sight of the flame, they can make their way back here, even if they lose their bearings in the storm." He thought a moment. "In fact, send out one right now, just in case it'll help Lym find her way back to us. Think that'd work?"

_Stop depending on me! _Miakis wanted to scream. _Don't you see? I've already failed her once! _She placed her hands on her head. "Rivan, you still haven't heard what I - "

She felt his hands on hers then, removing them from her face. "I know you Miakis…" he said softly, as he looked up at the taller girl, "How long have we been friends? You think I wouldn't know how you'd react?" He smiled at her gently. "It's not your fault."

Miakis didn't know what to say. She found it hard to even breathe, like she'd been carrying a millstone uphill, and only noticed it when its weight was lifted.

"Of course I don't know if Lym will be quite as forgiving," Rivan added, "But save the apologies for when she gets back… And somewhere _private_ okay? Lyon, let's go."

"Right behind you Prince," the black haired girl said, as she took her place beside him.

"Rivan, wait…" Miakis called out, as the Prince and Lyon were about to set out into the rain.

"Miakis, I know you want to come," Rivan began, "But you're the only one who can - "

Her lips were touching his before he could finish talking. It was just a little peck, nothing grown up… But it still left Miakis flushed, and Rivan bewildered… though perhaps not as much as Lyon was.

"You really need to let a girl finish what she wants to say sometimes y'know?" she told him, as she held him at arms length. "Good luck my Prince – and you too Lyon. Tell Lym…" She paused.

_Tell her that I'll make sure her next bodyguard will do a better job. _

"Just… bring her back safe, okay?"

* * *

Lym couldn't imagine how things could get any worse.

She huddled miserably at the base of a tree, shaking as the rain pounded past her woefully inadequate shelter, and cursed her decision to leave her tent. What had she been thinking? Well… she hadn't been really, and that was the main problem. That stupid Miakis had made her so angry… and that stupid brother of hers too! What did he think he was doing out here in this storm? Didn't he think about how difficult it would make it for her to show him up?

And this storm! Lym understood that it was its nature to send rain and wind, but this was a bit much! Surely it should have exhausted itself by now… The fact that the downpour continued… well, it just meant the stupid storm was being contrary, yes it was. Raining just to spite her, and to help her stupid brother!

At first she had been determined not to make it win, to press on, no matter what, until she could find the bear that had almost stumbled over her in the camp, find it before Rivan did. That'd show them who they should be following… who they should love.

Very soon however, thoughts of the bear had left her mind, driven away by the sheer struggle it had become to put one foot in front of the other, to fight through the rain and wind for every inch of progress. Lym could be as dogged and persistent as, well, as only a Princess could be, but she was still a six year old girl, and very soon her body began to tire. It had been some time ago that she'd decided to turn back and return to the camp.

Only to discover that she had no idea where the camp _was_.

She wandered the rain whipped forest in increasing desperation, calling out loudly when she could do so without the risk of drowning as leaf flavored rain water filled her mouth. The only replies she'd gotten were the indifferent roar of the storm around her, and the crack of its thunder as it continued to rage onwards.

So she had decided then that she would concede this round to the storm, and wait out its fury somewhere safe, and preferably dry. Few places however, could fulfill both, or even one of her criteria, and she had found herself collapsing against the dark bulk of this old oak tree, out of fatigue more than any rational choice.

Shivering in the cold, she raised her head and called out once more: "I'm ready to go back now." Silence. "Hello? Miakis, I forgive you, so come get me now!" No reply. "Lyon? Luserina?" Again, she heard nothing but the rain pelted silence. "Someone? _Anyone_!"

Lym hugged herself tightly, shaking from more than just the cold. In the Sun Palace, she barely needed to finish a sentence before someone was rushing to attend to her. As the heir to the throne, she was constantly surrounded by servants and functionaries, ready to jump to fulfill her slightest whim. And now…

Now there was just her.

"I'm over here!" She shouted again, sure that they were looking for her. They _must_ be… Oh and how they'd be regretting how they'd treated her. Miakis was probably in tears by now – and it'd serve her right! The thought of her bodyguard's repentance was enough to bring a gleeful smile to the little girl's face, and for a few minutes she forgot how miserable she was.

It didn't last long.

As the minutes passed and the rain continued unabated, Lym began to wonder what could be taking so long. Impatience turned quickly to anger, but eventually gave way to a slow, creeping fear.

What if… What if they didn't know she was missing? Worse… what if they _knew_ she was missing, but didn't care? Or were even _happy_ she was gone? Miakis certainly, had made clear how little she thought of the Princess – not even the possibility of being charged with treason had stopped her from hitting Lym. And her brother… Rivan certainly would not care she was gone. She'd gone out of her way to torment him all this time – and even Lym had to admit that maybe – just maybe – her last words to him had crossed over a line.

_Am I really such a bad person?_

No, Lym refused to believe it. Surely… surely she'd made some friends, some allies among the servants and guardsmen. But, for the life of her, she couldn't remember any individual name or faces – she'd never taken the time to commit these to memory. After all, one guardsman was as good as another right?

But what if… what if they felt the same about her?

That was rubbish, she thought to herself. She was the Princess of Falena – she was irreplaceable! Not even Rivan could take her place, no matter what people like Miakis might want! They were stuck with her, and that was that!

Of course, that didn't mean they had to like it. Or like _her_ for that matter.

The little Princess pushed herself to her feet, shaking with emotion. Fighting off fatigue and depression both, Lym pressed blindly forward, small arms shielding her face from the stinging rain. If they thought they could get rid of her, oh she would show them how wrong they were! When she got back, she'd be sure to tell Father how they'd abandoned her, how badly they'd treated her, she'd tell Father, and Mother and…

She took another step forward, and suddenly the water-logged earth gave way beneath her. The Princess cried out in alarm, her hands scrabbling in the dirt as she slid down, down, until her knees buckled as her feet hit more solid ground, sending her sprawling forward in a heap, flecks of mud, pebbles and foliage following after her. Lym pushed herself up to all fours, coughing and gagging as she spit out dirt which had found its way into her mouth as she was screaming. Water and saliva mixed in the muddy earth before her, and very soon after these were joined by her salty tears.

"Mother…" she sobbed helplessly, her fingers clawing at the dirt, "Father…" Then in a whisper so low that she could not even hear it herself over the roaring water: "Brother…"

Lym blinked then, as something registered through her self-pity. Roaring water?

The Princess looked down and to her left, and realized she was perched precariously on a rocky outcropping above one of the many tributaries to the Feitas River. The dark water boiled angrily beneath her, frothing waves passing so close she might reach out and touch them, the waters having long flowed over their banks. Lym said a quick prayer of thanks to the Sun that she hadn't slid down any further.

Of course it was at that point that the rock broke free from the slope.

Another scream was ripped from Lym's throat as she plummeted into the water, cut off abruptly as her head sank beneath the surface. For a terrifying moment, Lym was completely submerged, then her frantic kicking pushed her back up into open air, her mouth gasping to breathe at the same time as she screamed.

"Help! Help! Hel – ulp," she cried out, her mouth taking in gulps of water with every lungful of precious air. She kicked desperately with her feet, helpless as the current carried her downwards, her hands reaching out for something, anything, to break her momentum… but they found nothing.

Instead, _something_ found her.

His grip was strong as his hands clamped down on her wrists, almost wrenching her arms out of their sockets as he countered the currents pull with one of his own. Much to her surprise, even without looking, she knew who it was. Perhaps it was the feel of his hands, the tone of his muffled grunts as he strained every muscle in his body… but whatever the reason, she had no doubts when she called out his name.

"Rivan!" she cried out, her eyes wide at the sight of his pale, yet determined face.

"Hold on Lym!" He grunted, although it was he who held onto her. "Hold on!"

With excruciating slowness, the Prince hauled her out of the water, his feet slipping and sliding as they constantly had to find new purchase on the rain slicked ground as the river tried again and again to wrest her from his grasp. Still Rivan persevered, and finally, with a monumental effort, the Prince hauled her completely out of the water, and back onto fairly level ground. The two siblings rolled onto their backs, alternatively coughing and panting as they let the cool rain fall over bruised, aching muscles.

"Now I regret… splitting up with Lyon…" Rivan gasped, "You really are… more trouble… than I ever was…" He turned his head towards her and smiled. "And that's saying something."

Lym found herself smiling back. Then she realized just who it was who she owed her life to – who it was who had once more emerged as the hero.

_You'd never be able to match him, not in a million years!_

"Why?" Lym whispered, in a broken voice.

Rivan looked on, puzzled, but she didn't meet his gaze, staring instead up at the sky as it poured down upon her, her own tears blurring her vision of those of the heavens.

"Why did it have to be you? Why is it always _you_?"

Somehow finding the strength to move, she clambered to her feet. Rivan stood as well, but Lym was already on the move, running as fast as her short legs could take her. Her brother called out to her in alarm but she ignored him, barreling forward, ramming into trunk and branch until her fatigued body finally gave out, at the mouth of a cave ensconced in a low hillside.

Soon enough, Rivan was upon her, and it seemed that her sudden sprint had been enough to break even the Prince's composure. "What is _wrong_ with you? This isn't the time for this!"

"Why are you here?" Lym demanded of him, her tears tempering her angry shout. "You… you shouldn't be here! You hate me!'

Rivan's jaw went slack, and he had to visibly shake himself to recover. "First," he said, in a forcibly calm voice, "This really isn't the time for this discussion. And second – what the he- I mean, heck, are you talking about? I never said I hated you!"

"You must!" Lym insisted, "Everyone hates me! The guardsmen, the servants, even Miakis…" she shook her head. "And you have more reason… after all the things I've done… that I've said…"

"Lym…"

"You _must_ hate me," the Princes sniffed, rubbing away her tears on the back of her arm.

"If I hated you Lym, why would I come for you?" Rivan asked in a gentle voice.

The little girl looked up at him, with sad eyes. "Why do you do _anything?_ Good Prince Rivan," she sniffed. "Always doing his _duty_… Well I release you from it alright?" Lym shouted, her tiny hands balled into fists at her side. "Stop pretending you care! I hate you I hate you I – mmmph!"

"Ah Lym, Lym, Lym…" Rivan held her close to him, her voice muffled against his chest. The rain trickled down his face and onto her head, and the Prince slicked back her fine brown hair tenderly before he continued. "You can be bratty, irritating, insulting and downright unpleasant… But you've _never_ been a duty." He held her at arms length then, and looked deep into her eyes. Lym looked back, really looked for maybe the first time ever… and she so no hatred in his gaze. No anger, no disgust, nor even displeasure. Rivan smiled down at her.

"You've been many things, and you'll be many things Lymsleia Falenas. But you'll always be my sister. And I love you."

Lym stared up at him, as if seeing Rivan for the first time. The boy suddenly cleared his throat and looked away, suddenly discomfited, as boys were wont to be, by his own sentimentality. "C'mon," he said, "Looks like you've found us some shelter. Let's get you deeper inside while I wait for the sign from Miakis."

Rivan took his sister by the hand, and led the way into the cavern, wrinkling his nose at a strange smell wafting from within – but he had taken all of five steps before he ran into something in the darkness. Growling in displeasure, he reached out a hand to feel his way onwards – and suddenly stopped, dead in his tracks.

The growling however, continued unabated.

Rivan took five quick steps back, pulling Lym forcefully along with him. "Get up the tree Lym."

"Wh-what?" His sister asked him. "But wh-"

"_Do it_!" Rivan shouted, and then he was half-pushing, half-carrying her to the nearest tree, boosting her up so she could scamper along its boughs. Lym had barely enough time to pull her feet up before the bear emerged from the cave.

It was smaller than she remembered it, perhaps because she was viewing it from a safer distance, or maybe because the rain had plastered its fur tight across its body. Yet it looked more dangerous, if that was at all possible. Its eyes were half crazed from pain, bubbles of froth visible at the corners of its gnashing jaws. And its stench… wet fur mixed with dried blood and decay… Lym would have had a trouble even standing within ten feet of the creature.

Yet her brother stepped away from the tree, quickly and confidently, motions exaggerated enough that he could not help but draw the eye of the bear. He stepped sideways, moving further and further from the tree where Lym hid tremblingly, not even glancing in her direction as he deliberately withdrew his three-part staff.

The bear was quick enough to take the bait. It began slowly circling the Prince, its shambling gait still more than a match for Rivan's cautious step, its eyes locked on the white haired youth as if somehow certain the boy had something to do with its predicament. Rivan for his part was shaking – the tip of his staff vibrating like a humming bird's wings – but his stance was steady and his expression ready.

"Brother - " Lym found herself whispering, her hands going to her mouth, her heart jumping into her throat.

And then the bear leapt.

Rivan avoided its clutches, if barely, by jumping to his right, pushing against the ground with his staff as well as his legs for added thrust. The bear tried to turn for another attack, but it had landed on its injured forearm, and the pain caused it to misjudge its lunge, and once more the Prince managed to roll out of the way. Again the enraged creature charged, but this time instead of moving away, Rivan met it head on, thrusting out with his staff extended and crashing its tip into the animal's snout. The animal howled in pain, and fell back, trailing flecks of blood faintly visible under the stormy skies.

"Yes!" Lym found herself cheering. That was her brother for you!

But the old bear had not survived for so long without learning a few tricks of its own. Half-crazed it may have been, but it grew wary then, crouching low and coiling in on itself, like a trap about to spring, as it slowly began to stalk Rivan. The Prince tried to regain the initiative, breaking left or right or feinting with his staff, but with a predator's patience the bear closed in on the boy, cutting off other avenues of escape – until Rivan was backed up against the very same tree where he had hidden Lym. When he realized where he was, the Prince cursed soundly, the first time the Princess had ever heard him do so.

"Brother climb up!" Lym hissed, but Rivan shook his head without looking at her.

"But- " she began.

"_Hush!_" Rivan hissed, his head turning desperately this way and that as the bear closed in. It was too near, Lym realized in shock, wherever Rivan ran he was sure to be caught! Her brother seemed to know this too, his hands holding his weapon in a death grip. He had to come up, he had to climb up the tree with her…

With _her_…

That was when Lym realized what her brother's choice would be.

_You've been many things, and you'll be many things Lymsleia Falenas. But you'll always be my sister. And I love you._

Rivan took a deep breath, then kicked out towards the right, propelling his body left while he held his staff before him for protection. But the bear was too quick, too strong, easily blocking his path and lunging low, beneath Rivan's weapon, its paws batting at the boy's chest, sending him hurtling away, to the edge of the slope that lead back to the water. Lym's brother coughed loudly, painfully, his right hand still gripping his staff as he glared at the bear.

Lym began to tremble. No… this wasn't happening… Not to her brother! Not before she could… Not after she learned…

The bear stood up on its hind legs, roaring in triumph, its head almost brushing the branches in which Lym lay hidden. She could almost feel its stench, almost taste her own fear – fear that she suddenly realized, was not for herself at all.

_I love you._

The bear leapt forward – but so did Lym.

"Leave my brother alone!" she shouted, dropping from the tree's branches and landing squarely on the bear's head. The creature roared horrendously, but the Princess clung on for dear life, wrapping her arms around its eyes and struggling to keep her grip. The bear stumbled forward, growling all the while, trying to shake the little Princess of its head. Enraged at its failure, the bear raised its arm, determined to tear the obstruction from its sight.

"Let go Lym!" Rivan shouted, and Lym responded instantly to her brother's command, sliding off the slick back of the animal just as its claw slashed downwards, and in so doing injured its own face. The bear yelped in pain, and took another shambling step forward – right to the water's edge.

The Prince was ready. Blood streaming from his wound, the boy grit his teeth and pivoted, bringing his staff in a wide swing that barreled into the bear's back, knocking it forward and down the sloping, muddy earth. The creature roared, and scrambled for purchase along the earth, but its weight dragged it downwards, to land in the overflowing tributary with a resounding splash. The bear struggled against the current, but even this child of the Feitas was stronger than any mortal creature, and the last the royal siblings saw of the wounded animal were its claws stretched out towards them as it careened down the canal towards the south, roaring and screaming all the while… until it was gone.

Rivan stabbed his staff into the dirt, gasping for breath – which was quickly knocked out of him as Lym rammed into him with a running tackle.

"Brother! Brother! Brother!" she sobbed, not knowing whether to pummel him or hug him, but settling on a reasonable approximation of both.

"Good job Lym," he smiled at his sister. The fatigue was evident in his expression – but so was the relief. "You saved me there…"

"Oh Rivan," Lym gushed, "You saved me first."

"Let's call it even then shall we?" her brother replied, but the Princess shook her head.

"I… I've got a lot to make up for, I think," she said, squeezing her brother one more time, hardly mindful of his wounds. "I… I love you Rivan."

The Prince smiled then, and even his exhaustion seemed to vanish, enveloped in the sheer joy of the expression.

"That's good enough for me Lym…" he said, looking up at the sky. Following his gaze, from the corner of her eye Lym caught a quick burst of light against the storm-wracked darkness.

"That's good enough for me…"

* * *

Miakis stood at the very edge of the pavilion, stock still, every sense alert, willing her eyes to pierce the gloom, her ears to penetrate the incessant drumming of the rain.

There! She sensed movement to her right, just at the corner of her eye, and she whirled immediately: "Princess!" she shouted – but there was nothing there.

Another rustle in the underbrush: "You found her Prince!" she shouted this time, turning to her left – but it was only a branch, felled by the wind. She sighed, despondent – and then she felt a presence behind her.

"Lym!" she exclaimed, spinning around completely – and finding a surprised Luserina taking a step back.

"Whoopsie," Miakis apologized, knuckling herself in the head, "Sorry about that milady."

"Uhm…, no it was my fault entirely," Luserina said graciously, "Its just I heard your shouts and I thought perhaps the Princess and the Prince had returned…"

"Oh, not yet," the older girl replied, "I was just getting in some practice."

"Practice?" Luserina asked.

"Yeah yeah," Miakis said enthusiastically, "See I'm sure this was traumatic for Lym, and I want to be sure to greet her right when she returns. How did I do? Did you get all warm an' fuzzy?"

"Uhm…" the pretty brown haired girl appeared to be at a loss for words, "I-I suppose I did feel a little… warm?"

"Great then!" Miakis grinned, and turned back to her surveying of the rain drenched forest. The storm had abated somewhat, to the relief of all, but the rain was still more than a mere drizzle.

Luserina took a few steps forward, and stood beside the purple haired girl, shaking her head. "You amaze me Lady Miakis…" she began, but stopped as she heard choking sounds from her companions.

"Goodness! Are you alright?"

"Jus- just give me a moment to…" Miakis gasped, then suddenly let out a throaty laugh. "Sorry Lady Luserina. Its just – well, to hear someone like _you_ call me a Lady – is just too much for words!" She chortled. "If only Roog and Rahal could see me now… they'd eat their dragonhorsies!"

"Well, I certainly don't see anything surprising," the other girl replied, "I think you've carried yourself more than nobly today. And your faith that this crisis will resolve itself well in the end is… well, it's very uplifting."

Miakis looked at the younger girl for a moment, then shook her head. "I think you misunderstand Lady Luserina. I'm not really big on faith – though please don't tell the priests at the Sun Palace that!"

Luserina smiled. "I meant your faith that the Princess would be found."

Still Miakis shook her head. "Same thing – you have 'faith' in stuff that you can't see – or that you can sorta see, but can't touch. Like the Sun, or Spirits or that kind of thing…"

The brown haired girl looked puzzled. "I apologize Lady, but I fail to see the difference."

Miakis turned to Luserina and smiled broadly. "I know Rivan has gone to look for his sister. I know the Prince well, better than maybe I know myself. And because of that… I don't believe Lym will be found. I _know_ she will be. I know it." She turned back to the forest then… and caught a glimpse of white.

It was like a shroud had been removed from her soul. For all her confident words, she ran out of the tent, unmindful of the rain, as if to catch this apparition before it disappeared - fearful it would slowly dissipate the closer she got. But instead, the image grew clearer: that of a slim young white haired boy carrying a tired little girl on his back.

She stopped an arms length from the boy, her guts knotting as she saw the blood down his shirt. But his expression was serene, as happy as she had ever seen it to be, and she found herself returning his smile.

"Welcome back Prince," she said.

"Good to be here," he replied, just as his little sister raised her head.

"M-miakis?" Lym whispered, and Rivan let her slide down his back.

"P-princess…" Miakis gulped. For what seemed a long second, she could not find any words to speak. She'd rehearsed it in her head, in her heart, the things she'd say to the Princess when she returned – but now, seeing this sodden little girl staring up at her, she just could not open her mouth.

Instead she dropped down to her knees, in the mud, and clasped the girl to her as if afraid the wind would sweep her away. Lym returned the hug and began to cry softly, clinging to her bodyguard as if she were adrift.

"Princess. I'm sorry, I'll never- "

"Shh…" Lym hushed her, and put her small hands against Miakis' face. "Not another word okay? Not to me, not to Father, or anyone else. You were right…" The Princess closed her eyes. "You were right about brother. I'm the one who's sorry."

"Oh Princess…" Miakis said, and beamed down at the girl as she never had before. "I – I…" She hugged Lym close once more. "I swear, I'll NEVER leave you again!"

Rivan smiled down at them both. "Heh, aren't you two the perfect picture… Like a pair of drowned Holly Elves."

Miakis turned to him at once, ready with a retort – then remembered suddenly that he was wounded. Immediately she reached down and lifted Lym to her with one arm, and with the other supported the Prince. "C'mon, lets get that looked at little hero… Where's Lyon?"

"We split up before I met the bear – and that's _Prince_ Hero to you," Rivan replied, but he took her arm gratefully as the three walked back beneath the shelter of the pavilion.

"Oh Prince! Princess!" Luserina rushed towards them, with a small battalion of palace staff, ready with all sorts of healing implements, as well as a troop of soldiers who quickly stationed themselves around the royal children.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Lym was saying, a bit of her spunk returning to her voice as she waived away a persistent set of healers. "Go tend to my brother – he's the one who got wounded! Please…"

Miakis shooed them away as well, only taking a set of dry clothes from one of the attendants. "Alright little Princess, lets get you changed."

"B-but!" Lym protested, staring at her brother, "But brother might, what if brother needs…"

Miakis' eyebrows shot up. _My, my… looks like someone's been won over. Finally._ She looked over at Rivan, who was gingerly removing his shirt, and saw that Luserina was hovering around the medics and gazing at the Prince with a genuinely captivated gaze.

_Whoopsie. More than _one_ someone it seems…_

For a second Miakis felt a twinge of jealousy – then she looked once more at the small, sodden Princess who stood before her. No… she'd already made this mistake once. She couldn't watch two backs at once, couldn't be there for both of them at once. Miakis looked from the Prince, to the Princess, and back again, biting her lip. Then she reached down her hand, and clasped a small, delicate fist in return – and made her decision.

"Let's go get you changed Princess…"

"But-"

"Don't worry," Miakis laughed, as she scooped Lym up in her arms, "I think that they can heal your brother perfectly well without using your spare _dress_…"

In minutes she had the squirming, restless Lym in a set of dry clothes, and was being led by the insistent youngster back to the Prince, who sat sprawled on a seat that had been pulled up for him while trying in vain to get a red-faced Luserina to sit beside him.

"Brother!" Lym shouted, and promptly hopped into the place that Rivan had been offering to Luserina, hugging the Prince tight enough to make him wince.

"Ah Princess," Luserina warned, "I don't think you should-"

Lym scooted back as she realized she'd touched his wound. "Oh I'm sorry brother! Are you okay?"

"Don't worry," Rivan replied, smiling down at her and ruffling her hair, "You saved my life remember?"

"But you saved mine first!" Lym gushed. She turned to Miakis and Luserina, "You should have seen him! He pulled me from the river- "

"Just a flooded stream I think," Rivan interrupted, but Lym continued without pause.

"-and fought with the bear and whacked it so hard he cracked open its skull - "

"Uhm, that isn't quite- "

"-then he hit it again and again before he threw it into the river!" she finished, with a flair of her arms, before hugging him again. "Isn't my brother great?"

Rivan gave a helpless sigh, and shook his head. _She's lying_ he mouthed to Miakis, and the apprentice smiled widely.

"Oh you bet he is," the purple haired girl said, agreeing with Lym whole heartedly, "He's a genuine Prince he is. A hero of legend. A man amongst men!"

Rivan gave her a withering look, but the girl returned it with one of sincere emotion. It must have looked like an odd expression on her face, for Rivan's brow creased in puzzlement. Before he could say anything though, Miakis was hugging him as well, as tight as she could without giving him pain. Lym squirmed beneath her, but she held on, as long as she safely could. Her mind was full of the things she wanted to say, but hadn't, promises she hadn't actually made, and yet which she felt she was now breaking.

But in the end, she could only blurt out two quick words. "Thank you," she said, and meant a million other things.

He looked at her strangely. "Why do you say that like you mean 'goodbye'?" he asked her softly.

"Oh shut up," she retorted, turning away before he could see her eyes. Stupid Rivan and his stupid insights… She wiped a hand across her face, and looked up to see a small form streaking towards them.

"Lyon!" she called out. "He's over here!"

The black haired girl trotted into the pavilion, wet and obviously tired, but she did not hesitate as she headed straight for the Prince. Miakis met her half way there.

"Is he okay?" the younger girl asked hurriedly, "Did he find the Princess? Is he hurt?"

"Yes, yes and a little," Miakis answered. She looked from Lyon, to the Prince – who had risen to his feet to greet Lyon – then back to the black haired girl.

"He's all yours now," Miakis said softly, as she clapped a hand on Lyon's shoulder. "Although…" she grinned impishly, "I'd keep an eye out for Luserina when she grows older."

The youngest apprentice knight blinked in confusion. "Huh? Lady Luserina?"

Miakis just laughed. "Don't lose Lyon! I'm rooting for you!"

With that, she brought Lyon back to the Prince, and pulled Lym back a bit to give the black haired girl and her ward some space – which Lyon was largely using to alternately berate the Prince for exposing himself to such peril, and to express relief that he was safe. Miakis held Lym close and looked on, smiling. They were complete once again, her little family, and if things had changed amongst them… well, maybe it was for the better.

"Uhm Miakis," Lym asked suddenly, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Princess."

"Why…" Lym stopped. "Why was Lady Luserina looking at my brother like that?"

Miakis blinked. Then a mischievous glint came into her eye. "Well, you see Lym, while you were gone…" she began, then started whispering an entirely inappropriate and untrue tale of rain, bears and romance into the Princess' little ear. As Lym's eyes grew wider and wider, so did Miakis smile.

"Th-that… That _hussy!"_

Miakis giggled. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all…

* * *

_OOC: Sorry for the wait, and the length (for those of you who prefer bite size chunks), but I didn't want to make this a 4 parter :P This scene took me much longer to write than I had expected, but over all I think it worked out quite well _

_Which is good as it might be awhile till the next BNAD Scene as I need to finish a Vanishing Point chapter, and then I might start my Suikoden V AU fic. But I'll return to BNAD worry not. __Miakis will be taking a back seat to Lyon for quite a bit - I still love her, but she's had quite a run - but actually the Prince and company themselves will take a rest next scene. Next scene, if all goes as planned, will be a tad more serious - Sialeeds, Lucretia, Arshtat - and the Sun Rune. _

_Be there, or the holly elf gets it! ;) _


End file.
